Several days of beneficial rainfall have begun in Texas, though the highest rain chances for the eastern half of Texas will be on Friday. Today, we’ll see numerous showers across the Texas Panhandle, West Texas, Permian Basin, Edwards Plateau, South-Central Texas, and South Texas. Some rainfall will be heavy at times. As we get late this evening, the rain will change to wet, heavy snow across the northwestern Texas Panhandle (Dalhart area). The rain/snow line will slowly push south/southeast Thursday morning toward Vega, Amarillo, Pampa, and Canadian. TSC Mobile App Users will need to click the ? boxes to view the simulated weather radar animations above and below. You can download our free mobile app here. 

We’ll keep all rain across the remainder of Texas, with a few flakes mixing farther south into West Texas. Snow will mostly end in the Panhandle early tomorrow evening as rain moves east into Northwest Texas, the Big Country, the Concho Valley, and the Edwards Plateau. Friday morning into Friday afternoon will be wet across Texoma, North Texas, Central Texas, the Hill Country, South-Central Texas, and the Brazos Valley. The best chance for a widespread coating of rain late Friday afternoon into Friday evening will be across the Ark-La-Tex, Northeast Texas, East Texas, and Southeast Texas. Rain will be heavy at times. Current indications in weather-model land have most of the rain exiting the eastern reaches of Texas early Saturday morning. We may see a finger of moisture wrap back into the Texas Panhandle Friday afternoon through Friday evening, producing pockets of light snow or light rain.

Watch today’s Texas Weather Roundup video for even more Texas weather forecast information

Texas Panhandle Snowstorm

Three to eight inches of snow is possible in the northwestern Texas Panhandle, including Dalhart up to Texline. By the time you get to Clayton, New Mexico – we’ll be talking about a foot of snow. Comparatively lighter snowfall accumulations are expected tomorrow across the western, central, and northern Texas Panhandle. One to three inches of snow may occur as far south as Vega, Amarillo, Pahnalde, and Borger, up to Spearman. Some light accumulations may also arise from Perryton south to Pampa, Canyon, and Hereford.

Any snow, slush, or water left on roads after sunset Thursday may freeze into ice as temperatures fall below freezing. The exact track of an upper-level low and the low-level atmospheric temperatures will play critical roles in how quickly rain changes to snow. If the changeover occurs earlier, snowfall totals will increase. Vice-versa, a later changeover means mostly rain. A few snowflakes, perhaps a dusting, may happen as precipitation ends farther south in places like Happy, Tulia, Dimmitt, and Friona. The remainder of Texas will get to enjoy a cold rain. (Sorry, snow fans.)

Forecast Rain Totals for Texas through Saturday

One to three inches of rain, with localized amounts up to five inches, are expected across the Texas Panhandle, West Texas, Northwest Texas, and Big Country through Friday morning. That total includes any snow that melts into liquid after the fact. One-half to one-and-a-half inches of rain is expected across Texoma, the Concho Valley, North Texas, Northeast Texas, the Ark-La-Tex, East Texas, Southeast Texas, the Coastal Plains, Central Texas, Hill Country, Edwards Plateau, and the Rio Grande Plains. One to three inches of rainfall is forecast across the Coastal Bend, South Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley.

Localized flooding is a decent bet, especially where we get a few inches of rain. Be mindful of high water at the typical low-water crossing troublespots, construction zones, creeks and streams, and in fields that tend to pond up after a good gullywasher. Since we’ll be dealing with fairly steady moderate rain versus torrential thunderstorms, the threat of more problematic flash flooding is not high. Severe thunderstorms, capable of producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail, are not expected this week in Texas.

Temperature trends through Christmas Week

Temperatures will be on the cool side in areas where rain falls over the next several days. The Panhandle and West Texas will experience temperatures in the 30s, while the rest of the state has temperatures in the 40s to lower 50s while the rain is falling. Otherwise, Far West Texas (El Paso), the Big Bend, into the Rio Grande Valley, and the immediate Texas Gulf Coast will remain in the 60s and 70s through Friday. On Saturday, cooler weather will drop those high temperatures into the 50s and 60s. We’ll start climbing up the temperature roller-coaster across Texas beginning Sunday. We’ll be back into the 60s and 70s across Texas by early next week. A cold air outbreak is not expected through Christmas. In fact, we’ll probably remain warm and active through Christmas Week.