AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A strong, arctic cold front will move through Central Texas later this week, bringing the coldest temperatures of the winter so far to the area - and an increasingly solidifying chance at wintry precipitation.
Temperatures are expected to reach the upper 60s Wednesday afternoon, before the front sends temperatures plummeting to below freezing by Thursday morning - and likely staying there until midday Friday.
Nearly all of Central Texas will see hard freezes on Friday and Saturday mornings, with temperatures falling into the lower 20s and upper teens - some parts of the Hill Country could see temperatures fall to the lower teens.
What remains to be seen is how much precipitation falls in the Austin area, especially after the front passes through and temperatures fall. Also of concern is what happens with temperatures on Thursday, when precipitation stops and whether any precipitation that has fallen is able to melt or not.
Forecasters emphasize that in no way will this event be a repeat of last year's winter storm, either in terms of length or the amount of precipitation that falls, but any significant icing - even a couple of a hundredths of an inch - can easily wreak havoc on travel, as well as trees and power lines.
ERCOT, the state's electric grid operator, is already projecting that demand on the grid Friday morning could reach levels similar to last year's deadly winter storm. ERCOT projections are calling for a peak demand of 73 gigawatts - with last year's storm resulting in a peak demand of 77 gigawatts. ERCOT officials say they're implementing an "aggressive grid management plan" ahead of the expected winter blast.
Stay tuned to Talk 1370 and Talk1370.com later this week as this forecast continues to develop.