Here’s a timeline of what to expect, whether you’re hitting the roads for Thanksgiving or going to work.
Morning: A line of thunderstorms developed Sunday between Wichita Falls and San Angelo that is expected to inch closer to the Interstate 35 corridor early Monday. Most morning commuters in Austin should remain dry. Travelers toward Dallas-Fort Worth may run into rain-related slowdowns as the line of thunderstorms presses into the Metroplex between 8 and 11 a.m.
Afternoon: Daytime heating ahead of the next cold front should send Austin-area highs into the upper 70s and lower 80s. That warm, muggy air — combined with favorable atmospheric ingredients — will help severe storm chances peak during the afternoon.
A line of thunderstorms is expected to reach Austin between noon and 3 p.m., bringing the potential for damaging winds, large hail and a few tornadoes. Storms will move through Austin during this window but the greatest risk will be north and east of the city, where conditions are more favorable.
Evening: The potential for strong storms should dissipate by 5 p.m. as cooler and drier air behind our cold front pushes in. A few lingering showers can’t be ruled out through 8 p.m., mainly for areas east of I-35.
Tornadoes: The risk of tornadoes is highest north and east of the Austin area. Supercells that develop during the afternoon have the potential for producing a few tornadoes, some of which could be strong.
Wind: Damaging straight-line winds are possible in any storm that moves through Monday afternoon, though the potential for wind gusts in excess of 58 mph is highest north of the Austin metro area.
Hail: Large hail of an inch in diameter or larger is possible through Monday, especially north of Austin.
This second cold front is expected to push through Tuesday into Wednesday. While it’s likely to come through dry, it will send in much cooler and drier air.
By the time you wake up Thursday morning to put the turkey in the oven, temperatures are likely to be in the upper 30s to lower 40s. Despite abundant sunshine for Thanksgiving, afternoon highs are likely to only top out in the upper 60s.
