After Friday snow, glaze of ice possible Christmas morning

Published 10:19 am Friday, December 23, 2016

Two systems are bringing some slick conditions to the Austin area this holiday weekend.

For the third straight weekend, Austin will see a dose of wintry weather. But this time, temperatures are headed in the other direction.

A winter weather advisor is in effect for Austin through 9 p.m. Friday for a system that could leave 3 to 4 inches of snow at the start of Christmas weekend. National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Hollan said the heaviest snow would fall just northeast of Austin toward Rochester, but totals should be pretty steady throughout the county.

Email newsletter signup

On Friday, the heaviest snow was expected around mid-day, and a glaze of ice was also possible tonight, which could make for a slick commute.

Another system is expected to move through the region Saturday night and into Monday, but no snow is expected. Freezing drizzle is possible on Monday, and roads could be slick before the precipitation turns to rain Christmas afternoon as temperature increase of a high in the low 40s.

The highest chance for slick conditions with the second system, Hollan said, will be on Christmas morning, but temperatures are expected to climb above freezing by noon.

“It will depend on the surface temperatures and how much they drop,” Hollan said.

Temperatures will stay above freezing until early Monday morning. Rain is possible into Sunday night, when thunderstorms and lightning will be possible, as will a few downpours, but rainfall amounts of up to half to three-quarters of an inch of rain are possible.

Austin already set a record with 47.58 inches of precipitation in 2016, which topped the 46.01 inches in 1993.

Dry air and high winds with gusts topping 30 mph are expected on the back end of the system, which could help dry out the roads as freezing temperatures return, Hollan said.