Areas of freezing drizzle continue this morning across the Permian Basin, Concho Valley, Big Country, Northwest Texas, Texoma, North Texas, Hill Country, and Central Texas. Drizzle is tiny water droplets, except with temperatures below freezing,  those water droplets freeze on contact with exposed surfaces. A freezing drizzle can cause mayhem on bridges, overpasses, and even surface roads. We’ve seen that play out numerous times this morning in Wichita Falls, the D/FW Metroplex, Austin, and even in parts of Northeast Texas.

In terms of heavier precipitation, we’re seeing bands of freezing rain from Marble Falls northeast to Waco to Ennis, Emory, and Sulphur Springs. The freezing drizzle does not show up on most weather radars. We’re expecting the freezing drizzle to end in the Permian Basin, Big Country, and Northwest Texas over the next two hours. Drier air will move east into North Texas around lunchtime, helping to end the freezing drizzle along Interstate 35 from Texoma south to the Hill Country.

Freezing drizzle and freezing rain may continue into the early afternoon in Northeast Texas. Temperatures in East Texas are above freezing, so only rain is expected. This evening, we may see some rain along the Middle and Upper Texas Coast, but it’ll be ‘rain’ versus any winter mischief.

Thawing Out This Afternoon

We expect travel conditions to improve this afternoon as a bit of infrared radiation and sublimation helps to thaw things out. Temperatures will likely remain below freezing today in Northwest Texas and most of North Texas, but we still expect improvement. Any water or slush on roads after sunset will freeze into black ice, causing additional issues for unsuspecting drivers.

We’ll see improving weather tomorrow before a chance of precipitation returns to the eastern two-thirds of Texas on Saturday. Please refer to my blog discussion earlier this morning for more details on the weekend weather prospects.