A Wintry Mix This Morning, Cold All Day:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the viewing area until 9:00 A.M. for the change of a wintry mix or light snow this moring. An area of rain/sleet/snow will continue to move across the area this moring. Some icy spots are possible so use caution on area roadways. Temperatures hold into the lower 30s today across the area. Precipitation should end by midday across the area, although some could linger in the far eastern areas early in the afternoon. Clouds should begin to decrease by tonight. Expect a very cold Friday night with lows dropping into the upper teens and lower 20s.

* Weekend: Cold start on Saturday morning but partly cloudy with highs in the upper 30s. Saturday night we drop down into the middle 20s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs back in the upper 40s in the area with lows dropping into the middle 30s on Sunday night.

* Next Week: Partly cloudy on Monday with increasing clouds on Tuesday and into the middle of the week. Next storm system brings rain chances late Tuesday, all day on Wednesday and a few lingering showers on Thursday morning. Highs in the middle to upper 50s. Overnight lows in the upper 30s.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice weekend...

Heavy Rain, Wintry Precipitation & Much Colder Temperatues:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall are expect most of the day today across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley. A changeover to a wintry mix is possible by late afternoon, this evening into the overnight period. The cold front should move into the northern areas of the Big Country this morning and move along the I-20 corridor by midday and into the Heartland/Northern Concho Valley areas by early afternoon. As the front moved in temperatures will drop throughout the day. Our highs for the day should be set early this morning in the middle and upper. 50s and we should be into the upper 30s and low 40s by late afternoon. As temperatures get colder by later today is when the wintry mix comes into the picture. Lows drop into the middle 20s. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for areas along and north of Interstate 20 for tonight and into the morning on Friday. Some light accumulation of ice is possible in the advisory area so expect some icy spots late tonight and into the morning on Friday. Expect the precipitation to change to all snow early on Friday morning across the area. Light snow Friday morning should end but there could be a few snow flurries lingering into the afternoon with highs in the middle 30s. Clouds should begin to decrease by the afternoon setting us up for a very cold Friday night with lows dropping into the upper teens and lower 20s.

* Weekend: Cold start on Saturday morning but partly cloudy with highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Saturday night we drop down into the middle 20s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs back in the upper 40s in the area with lows dropping into the middle 30s on Sunday night.

* Next Week: Partly cloudy and mild with highs in the 50s into the middle of next week. Clouds increase by Wednesday with a chance of rain back in the picture for the area. Lows in the middle 30s for early next week.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy Your Thursday...

A Good Rain Event Ahead, Turning Wintry Tomorrow Night

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Mostly cloudy to cloudy for today with a breezy south wind throughout the day. Temperatures warm into the lower and middle 60s. A stray shower could develop by late in the afternoon but the best chances for rain come tonight. Showers and thunderstorms will develop tonight across West Central Texas. Locally heavy rainfall is possible A few storms could be strong but severe weather is not expected as any severe weather should be down toward the Hill Country well away from us. Lows hold near 50° tonight

* Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall is expect most of the day tomorrow across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley. A changeover to a wintry mix is possible by late afternoon, the evening and into the overnight period. The cold front should move into the northern areas of the Big Country tomorrow morning and move along the I-20 corridor by midday and into the Heartland/Northern Concho Valley areas by early afternoon. As the front moved in temperatures will drop throughout the afternoon and evening. Our highs for the day should be set early in the morning in the upper 40s/lows 50s and we should be into the 30s by afternoon. As temperatures get colder by late day is when the wintry mix comes into the picture. Lows drop into the middle 20s. Little accumulation is expected at the moment as the main energy of the system should track more north taking any heavier snow north of here although their could be some light accumulations north of U.S. 380 (Aspermont-Haskell-Throckmorton line) tomorrow night and Friday morning. Expect the precipitation to change to all snow early on Friday morning across the area. Light snow Friday morning should end but there could be a few snow flurries lingering into the afternoon with highs in the middle 30s. Clouds should begin to decrease by the afternoon setting us up for a very cold Friday night with lows dropping into the upper teens and lower 20s.

* Weekend: Cold start on Saturday morning but mostly sunny with highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Saturday night we drop down into the middle 20s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs back near 50° for most of the area.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice Wednesday...

Nice Today, Changes By Tomorrow:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Clear this morning and cold to start the day across West Central Texas but a nice day ahead with abundant sunshine and highs warming to between 60-65° with a southeast breezy. A few high clouds may drift in from the west by the afternoon. Clouds will be on the increase tonight and temperatures not so cold overnight as we only drop into the middle and upper 40s.

* Wednesday: Mostly cloudy to cloudy for tomorrow with a south wind throughout the day. Temperatures warm into the lower 60s. Showers and thunderstorms will develop for tomorrow night across West Central Texas. A few storms could be strong but severe weather is not expected and any severe weather should be down toward the Hill Country well away from us. Lows hold near 50° on tomorrow night.

* Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms are possible during the day with a change over to a wintry mix into the afternoon and evening. The cold front should move into the northern areas of the Big Country Thursday morning and move along the I-20 corridor by midday and into the Heartland/Northern Concho Valley areas by early afternoon. As the front moved in temperatures will drop throughout the afternoon and evening. Our high and low for the day should be set early in the morning in the upper 40s and we should be into the 30s by afternoon. Thursday night night we should see a change to all snow for the overnight and morning periods into Friday. Lows drop into the middle 20s. Little accumulation is expected at the moment as the main energy of the system should track more north taking any heavier snow north of here. Having said that we'll keep an eye on things as we get new forecast data into the KRBC Weather Lab. Light snow Friday morning should end but there could be a few snow flurries lingering into the afternoon with highs in the middle 30s. Clouds should begin to decrease by the afternoon setting us up for a very cold Friday night with lows dropping into the upper teens and lower 20s.

* Weekend: Cold start on Saturday morning but mostly sunny with highs back into the middle 40s. Saturday night we drop down into the middle 20s. Mostly sunny on Sunday with highs back near 50° for most of the area.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Winter Blast Coming Thursday

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Hopefully the recent round of spring like weather hasn't lulled you into a false sense of security, thinking that winter is over, because it isn't. To the contrary, winter will flex its muscle Thursday and down goes the temperature. I think it will play out this way.

Tuesday is a very nice day, cold in the morning, warm in the afternoon with a few clouds. Morning temperatures around 30, afternoon highs 62-65.

Tuesday night - clouds increase as Gulf moisture pushes northward out of South Texas. Skies in the Big Country are cloudy by Wednesday morning.

Wednesday - a few showers should develop, especially through the afternoon, more likely late day. High near 60.

Wednesday Night - rain increases around the area, and we could even see some thunderstorms in a fairly unstable atmosphere, in advance of the cold air.

Thursday - As rain continues, possibly some thunderstorms in the morning, drastically colder air sinks south through the Big Country. Temperatures take a nose dive and as the air cools, some of the rain could begin falling as sleet. Then by Thursday evening and night, snow is likely to fall.
Temperatures will fall through the 40's into the 30's during the day.

Thursday Night: Much of the moisture will have been pushed out of our area, but what is left will fall in the form of snow. Too early to speculate amounts. Lows in the low 20's.

Friday: Snow possible in the morning, then mostly cloudy. Highs 32-36 look reasonable as of now, depending on cloud clover.

Saturday - Partly cloudy, low 40's.

Thursday night into Friday morning there will likely be some issues with icy travel conditions so do a little pre-planning and get ready for some winter weather in the Big Country !!!

A Pleasant Start To The Week:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Cold start this morning with temperatures into the 20s and 30s but a very nice day is ahead for the area. Expect a sunny day with daytime highs climbing to between 55-60° and a light northeast wind. Clear and cold tonight as lows drop into the lower 30s across the area with a few spots into the upper 20s. Another nice day on Tuesday but warmer with highs in the middle 60s with a partly cloudy sky.

* Clouds will be on the increase on Wednesday ahead of the next storm system arrives for West Central Texas. Mostly cloudy with highs in the middle 60s for Wednesday with rain chances increasing Wednesday night, even perhaps an isolated storm or two. Temperatures Wednesday night hold into the lower 40s.

* Thursday: Temperatures will drop throughout the day into the 30s as a cold front works across the area. A cold rain will be in place all day and could mix with snow at times. By the evening and Thursday night we could see a changeover to all snow. Accumulation could be possible and we'll have to watch the models over the next few days. Lows drop into the lower 20s Thursday night. Snow could linger early in the morning but decreasing clouds for the day on Friday with highs only warming into the middle 30s. Another cold night for Friday night with lows in the upper teens.

* Weekend: Cool weather over the weekend with highs in the lower 40s on Saturday and low 50s on Sunday. Overngiht lows in the 20s for Saturday night and Sunday night. Expect a mostly sunny sky over the weekend.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Monday...

Abilene Rainfall Update

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

As of 10:15am Saturday, rain was slowly moving east through the area.

Abilene has received two-tenths (.20) of an inch so far. Not expecting much more.

Heavier Showers Headed to Abilene

Saturday morning update - 8:10am

A narrow band of heavy showers was moving into Taylor County from the southwest. The rain stretches down 277 to Bronte then extends farther southwest to near Fort Stockton.

This will keep rain around our area much of the day. Temperatures had dropped into the upper 40's in Abilene as of 8am.

New Record High Friday in Abilene

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

Abilene established a new record high temperature for Friday, January 22nd. The high reached 85 degrees at Abilene Regional Airport, breaking the old record of 83 which was set in 1967.

Wind Wind Go Away !!!

Saturday morning Update from KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

The forecast is playing out pretty much as I described on KRBC News at 10 Friday night.

There are showers stretching from the southwest to the northeast across the central and western Big Country, including rain here in Abilene. As of 7:20am, only .03 of rain had been recorded at Abilene Regional Airport. Rain amounts won't be heavy today, but most of our viewing area should see at least a few showers. A few embedded thunderstorms can't be ruled out, dropping slightly heavier amounts of rain.

BUT, the big weather story today is the W I N D !! It's not going to be pretty !! Wind will be at its worst this afternoon, so if you want to avoid it, run your errands this morning and stay in this afternoon.

A WIND ADVISORY is in effect from noon until 6pm. West wind of 35 to 45 will howl through the region throughout the afternoon. This brings a high wildfire danger too so please be careful and avoid outdoor burning today. DUST is also possible this afternoon.Wind should subside after dusk.

For the rest of the weekend, around 40 Saturday night and upper 50's on Sunday with a few clouds moving through the area. Sunday will be dry. Next chance for rain coming this Wednesday and temperatures should be closer to normal this week.

Clouds Return, Rain Chances Overnight

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Clouds will be on the increase as we head into the day today. Expect a breezy south to southwest wind between 15-25 mph with daytime highs ranging between 75-80° this afternoon. A system will arrive by tonight bringing the a chance for scattered showers overnight for all of West Central Texas. Cloudy tonight and still breezy with lows dropping into the upper 40s. The rain should end Saturday morning.

* Weekend: Showers end early on Saturday morning. Look for clouds to decrease during the day. A very windy day ahead as the system that brings the rain moves away from the area. South to southwest winds will average between 25-40 mph at times. There will be an elevated fire danger across the area as relative humidity values drop into the 20% range. Clear & cool Saturday night with lows in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Mostly sunny and nice on Sunday but much cooler with daytime highs in the middle 50s. Mostly clear Sunday ngiht with lows in the upper 20s.

* Next Week: Temperatures return to more average levels for January by next week. Expect mostly sunny conditions with highs in the middle 50s and low in the upper 20s and lower 30s. Clouds return by Wednesday and Thursday with a new storm system. This system brings a chance for rain by Wednesday night and Thursday for our area.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your weekend...

A Nice Day Ahead:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Expect a mostly sunny, breezy and mild Thursday as daytime highs climb into the upper 60s. Overnight lows on tonight drop back into the middle 40s. On Friday clouds will be on the increase by the afternoon ahead of the next front that arrives overnight and early on Saturday. Friday night as the front arrives expect scattered showers and even possible an isolated thunderstorm during the overnight periods and early into the morning on Saturday. Highs climb into the middle and upper 70s with a gusty south to southwest wind. Overnight ows hold into the middle and upper 40s Friday night.

* Weekend: A few showers could linger early into the morning on Saturday but clouds should begin to decrease into the day. Temperatures will climb into the lower to middle and upper 60s. Cooler on Saturday night with lows in the middle to upper 30s. Mostly sunny and cooler on Sunday with highs in the upper 50s and very cold Sunday night with lows in the lower 30s.

* Next Week: Weather looks quiet for early next week with mostly sunny conditions. Highs in the middle to upper 50s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Overnight lows pretty cold with upper 20s and lower 30s across the area. Models show another rain chance in the picture by Thursday.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice Thursday...

Mild Weather Now, Cooler By Weekend:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Clouds should return today across the area ahead of a front that will arrive this evening across West Central Texas. The clouds should hold temperatures down some but still warming into the upper 60s and lower 70s. I don't really expect that much shower activity so I've taken out of my forecast. Having said that there could be a few sprinkles here and there today across the area with the cloud cover. Mostly cloudy tonight with lows in the middle 40s. Expect a breezy southwest wind throughout the day and into the night.

* Partly cloudy, breezy and mild on Thursday as daytime highs climb into the upper 60s. Overnight lows on Thursday night drop back into the middle 40s. On Friday clouds will be on the increase ahead of the next front. Highs climb into the middle 70s with a gusty southwest to west wind. Friday night as the front arrives expect scattered showers and even possible an isolated thunderstorm during the overnight periods and early into the morning on Saturday. Overngiht ows hold into the middle 40s.

* Weekend: A few showers could linger early into the morning on Saturday but clouds should begin to decrease into the day. Temperatures will climb into the lower to middle 60s. Cooler on Saturday night with lows in the middle 30s. Mostly sunny and cooler on Sunday with highs in the middle 50s and very cold Sunday night with lows in the lower 30s.

* Next Week: Weather looks quiet for early next week with mostly sunny conditions. Highs in the lower to middle 50s on Monday and Tuesday. Overnight lows pretty cold with upper 20s and lower 30s across the area. So far no rain chance at least early for next week.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice Wednesday...

Another Nice & Warm January Day:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* A few areas of fog across the Heartland and Northern Concho Valley this morning where a Dense Fog Advisory has been issued. Otherwise we are partly cloudy this morninga and will remain that way today. Another very warm day with highs averaging between 72-77° and a south to southwest wind. May see a few more clouds tonight but still temperatures only dropping into the middle 40s on average.

* A weak front will drift through the area on Wednesday and may squeeze out a shower or two in the late afternoon and into Wednesday night. High on Wednesday drop back into the upper 60s and lower 70s and we hold into the upper 60s on Thursday. Another surge back into the middle and upper 70s is expected on Friday before a front arrives Friday night. We'll remain partly cloudy but clouds should begin to increase on Friday.

* Weekend: A decent cold front will move in Friday night and on Saturday cooling us back into the lower 60s and also bringing a slight chance for showers and maybe even an isolated thunderstorm overnight. Cooler on Sunday with highs back into the middle 50s. Lows still in the 40s on Saturday morning but the lows drop back into the 30s by Sunday and Monday morning.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Feeling More Like Spring & Not Winter

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* A quiet morning across West Central Texas on this Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. We have some clouds drifting through the area so expect a partly cloudy day. The big story is the nice warming trend we are seeing with highs today in the lower 70s across the region. A breezy southwest wind keeps us mild tonight with lows in the middle 40s with a partly cloudy night.

* The Week Ahead: Feeling more like spring and not winter with highs into the lower to middle 70s into midweek across the area. A weak front/system will drift through the area on Wednesday and may squeeze out a shower or two. No cool down expected with this front. Highs Thursday and Friday in the upper 60s and lower 70s. Overnight lows very mild and well above freezing into the lower to middle 40s.

* Weekend: A decent cold front will move in Friday night and on Saturday cooling us back into the lower 60s and also bringing a slight chance for a shower or two on Saturday. Cooler on Sunday with highs back into the middle 50s. Lows still in the 40s on Saturday morning but the lows drop back into the 30s by Sunday morning.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a great Monday...

Rain Ending Friday Night - Nice Warm Days Ahead

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Rain stays in the forecast through Friday night, courtesy of an upper level low spinning eastward along the Texas Gulf Coast.

The low has brought very heavy rain to areas such as San Antonio, but it's too far south to give us significant rain. Being on the northern edge of the system, only light rain for our area.

Fog will be an issue tonight and again Saturday night, due to wet ground conditions.

Overnight lows in the low to mid 40's can be expected each night through the middle of next week.

Afternoon highs in the middle 50's Sunday will be replaced by the middle 60's Monday through the middle of next week.

Looking ahead to the next rain chance, a possibility next weekend on the 23rd.

Showers Today, Warming Up This Week:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* A cloudy morning with temperatures hovering in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Expect patchy fog to continue across West Central Texas this morning. In some areas the visibility may drop to less than a mile. Showers will expand farther north into West Central Texas from the south. Rainfall amounts will generally be in the trace range. However a few locations might receive a fewHundredths to a tenth of an inch. The shower chances should end tonight with fog developing again across our area. Highs today don't move all that much as we stay in the 45-52° range most of the day. Lows tonight are cooler in the middle 30s.

* Weekend: Decreasing clouds on Saturday with some fog early in the morning. Daytime highs will climb into the upper 50s. Overnight lows drop again into the middle 30s Saturday night. Still a few clouds in the area on Sunday with highs warmer into the middle 60s.

* Next Week: Much warmer weather is expected for next week with highs well into the upper 60s across West Central Texas with mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions at least through midweek. A front should arrive by late Wednesday drop highs back into the upper 50s by Thursday, Models also bring a slight rain chance into the area late Wednesday night and into the day on Thursday.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice weekend...

Clouds & Showers Return:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Cloudy with patchy fog this morning across West Central Texas. Temperatures mostly in the upper 40s and lower 50s this morning. We'll stay cloudy today with highs between 55-60° with a few isolated showers possible late this afternoon. Rain chances will increase tonight with about a 50% chance for showers across the area. The heaviest rain chances will be to our south but we do expect the shower chances tonight. Lows tonight only into the middle 40s.

* The low pressure center will continue to drift across the southern areas of the state tomorrow keeping shower chances in the forecast for the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley for Friday and into Saturday morning. The heaviest rain chances once again will be to our south but a good chance for showers is still expected for the area. The rain will gradually come to an end on Saturday morning. Highs Friday only into the middle and upper 40s, lows in the 30s Friday night.

* Weekend: Decreasing clouds on Saturday but still some lingering showers in the area early in the morning. Highs on Saturday climb well back into the 50s with an overnight low into the lower 30s. Sunday looks nice with a mostly sunny sky with highs back into the low 60s.

* Next Week: Much warmer weather is expected for next week with highs well into the 60s across West Central Texas with mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions. A front by Wednesday should drop highs back into the 50s by Thursday. So far no rain chances into next week.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Thursday...

Clouds & Rain Chances Returning:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Not so cold this morning out there with temperatures into the 30s and 40s across the region. Mostly cloudy out there this morning but I think most of these low clouds break up later this morning leaving us with a partly cloudy day. A very warm day with highs in the upper 50s and lower 60s with southerly breeze. Clouds will return tonight and temperatures should only drop into to the lower 40s but still breezy with that south wind.

*A low pressure center will drift across the southern areas of the state late tomorrow bringing a decent rain chance for the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley from Thursday evening and into Saturday morning. The counter-clockwise spin around the low should pull a good supply of moisture up from the south over West Central Texas for our rain event. The best rain chances will come Thursday night and on Friday for the area. Temperatures could be cool enough for a brief rain/snow mix overnight Friday and early on Saturday but the new model data is showing these senario isn't quite so impressive this morning. Daytime highs cool back into the lower to middle 40s for Friday and cold Friday night with temperatures in the lower 30s.

* Weekend: Decreasing clouds on Saturday but still some lingering moisture in the area early in the morning. Highs on Saturday climb into the lower 50s with an overnight low into the lower 30s. Sunday looks nice with a mostly sunny sky with highs back into the low 60s.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice Wednesday...

Another Nice Day, Changes Ahead:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Starting the morning out with temperatures in the 20s across West Central Texas but another very nice day ahead with daytime highs once again ranging in the lower to middle 50s. Expect a mostly sunny day. As we head into the night, clouds will slowly be on the increase and we should be mostly cloudy by daybreak on Wednesday. Overnight lows a bit warmer tonight with lower to middle 30s.

* Mostly cloudy on Wednesday ahead of the next system that will bring the first good rain event to the area for 2010. Highs on Thursday in the upper 50s. A low pressure center will drift across Texas by Thursday bringing a decent rain chance for the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley from Thursday and into Saturday morning. The best rain chances will come Thursday night and on Friday for the area. Temperatures should be cool enough at the end of the rain event on Saturday morning for there to possible be a wintry mix or light snow but this will be brief and not last long as temperatures warm up later in the day on Saturday. Daytime highs cool back into the lower to middle 40s for Friday and cold Friday night with temperatures at freezing.

* Weekend: Decreasing clouds on Saturday but still some lingering moisture in the area early in the morning. Highs on Saturday climb into the middle 40s with an overnight low into the lower 30s. Sunday looks nice with a partly cloudy sky with highs back into the middle 50s. Another cold night Saturday night with lows in the lower 30s.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern continues to bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Mild & Pleasant Weather To Start The Week:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* High clouds are rolling in this morning but it doesn't mean much as far as the forecast goes on this Monday. A chilly start this morning with temperatures well into the 20s across the region. With a mostly sunny sky and a southwest breezy, temperatures will warm across the area into the lower and middle 50s. I think 50-55° is a pretty good average of the forecast highs across the area. Tonight we may see a few more clouds. Another cold night is in store with lows into the middle 20s and a light southeast wind. A nice, mild day ahead on Tuesday with a mostly sunny sky and highs into the middel 50s.

* Clouds will be on the increase for Wednesday ahead of the next system that will bring the first good rain event to the area for 2010. A low pressure center will drift across Texas by Thursday bringing a decent rain chance for the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley from Thursday and into Saturday morning. Temperatures may be cool enough at the end of the rain event on Saturday morning for there to possible be a wintry mix but this will be brief and not last long as temperatures warm up later in the day on Saturday. Highs still in the lower 50s on Thursday but cooling back into the lower 40s on Friday. Overnight lows in the middle 30s for Thursday night and near freezing on Friday night.

* Weekend: Decreasing clouds on Saturday but still some lingering moisture in the area early in the morning. Highs on Saturday climb to near 50° with an overnight low near freezing. Sunday looks nice with a partly cloudy sky and highs back into the middle 50s.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Monday...

Ahhh, Sunshine! But Does That Mean Warm?

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

Before I get to weather, just a word of thanks to all of you who read this blog. It climbed the Bigcountryhomepage.com ladder and became one of the most read blogs of 2009.

Morning meteorologist Chris Whited was a major reason why, as he gives you all kinds of forecast tidbits to get your day started. My thanks to Chris !!

I just finished my daily crunching of numbers and reading of the tea leaves (we use all the forecasting tricks we can) and can promise you a warming trend through the middle of next week !!!!!

I didn't say a fast warming trend, or a big warming trend, but warmer compared to where we've spent the last few days.

But before we get warm, we have to get really cold one more night. Tonight (Friday) will be the coldest night of this spell for most of us. I'm forecasting 10 in Abilene but towns with elevation differences, normal colder areas like Brownwood, will probably hit single digits.

The way this airmass is locked in place, the coldest temperatures will be across the eastern KRBC viewing area so my friends in Breckenridge, look out. Even the bass at Hubbard Creek are running for cover !

SATURDAY - LET THE WARM UP GAMES BEGIN !!! With total sunshine, expect a balmy 36 degrees !!!

SATURDAY NIGHT - With clear skies, watch the thermometer drop to about 18.

SUNDAY - EVEN WARMER !! 45 degrees in total sunshine. Whew hew !!

MONDAY AND TUESDAY - I have highs around 50 and lows around freezing.

RAIN - Rain chances are looking better toward the end of the coming week, starting Thursday, getting better Friday.

JANUARY still has more cold shots and more rain and snow chances still to come, so stay tuned !! Have a great weekend !!

Cold Remains But Warmth Returns This Weekend:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* The clouds that returned overnight are somewhat of a saving grace for the area this morning. The cloud deck over us has kept the temperatures from dropping into the lower teens as forecasted across the area. The clouds are coming off of a disturbance that is moving through the Permian Basin and Trans-Pecos area this morning bringing some light snow over that way. I still think we should average this morning with lows between 15-20° across the area.

* A cold start to our Friday will see us warming up into the upper 20s across the area this afternoon. I think 25-30 is a good average for the afternoon highs across the area. There might be a stray snow flurry early this morning in the western counties but no big deal as we will see gradual clearing as we progress into the day. Winds will be lighter out of the north but wind chill values should range between -5-10° this morning and from 10-20° for this afternoon. With a mostly clear sky overnight and much lighter wind, expect major radiational cooling for the area. Overnight lows will range will hover in the range of 8-13° across the area. I think our colder areas like Snyder, Brownwood, Dyess AFB and others could dip into those upper single digits early on Saturday morning. Wind chill tonight will range from 0-10° but we're only expecting a light southeast wind.

* Weekend: Extremely cold start Saturday morning but a little warmer as highs climb into the upper 30s on Saturday afternoon under a mostly sunny sky. Overnight lows will be in the upper teens. We are still mostly sunny on Sunday but warmer with highs in the middle and upper 40s and dropping into the upper 20s for Sunday night.

* Next Week: Much warmer and more seasonal with highs back into the lower to middle 50s and overnight lows into the 30s. We will see middle and upper 50s for the midweek time period. Expect a partly cloudy sky with increasing clouds and a slight chance for rain come Thursday. Model runs this morning show the pattern milder overall for next week with most of the cold air having retreated back northward.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a great weekend...

Not Finished With the Cold Quite Yet

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

Still more cold to deal with through Saturday, but we'll see slow improvement along the way.

For Friday morning, I'm leaving cloudiness and some light snow flurries in the forecast, nothing major though.

Friday afternoon, clearing skies as high pressure builds in.

That same high pressure will give us our coldest night on Friday night when lows dip to near 10.

Saturday we get back above freezing with my forecast high at 38.

Upper teens again Saturday night before rising into the mid to upper 40's on Sunday.

The severe cold is gone and temperatures become much improved for much of next week.

We have a slight chance for rain toward the middle of next week.

KRBC Weather Alert: Extreme Cold

From the KRBC Weather Lab & Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Roads are icy this morning across the area thanks to freezing drizzle and some fog in the region. There have been reports of several accidents across the Big Country due to icy on roads and bridges. Please use extreme caution if you are out driving today across the area. Temperatures will remain below freezing until Saturday so this ice could stick around with us.

* The Arctic cold front swept across the Big Country late night now leaving us with the coldest air of the season across West Central Texas. Cloudy and some drizzle start the day but we should see some of the clouds break up into midday and the afternoon. A very cold day with highs ranging between 23-27° across the area. Winds will be north at 20-30 mph, producing wind chill values from 5-15° today.

* A very cold night ahead with a partly cloudy sky and lows ranging 8-13° for the area. Winds will be northerly tonight 15-25 mph, producing a wind chill of -10 to 10° for us. Because of the extreme wind chills the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Advisory for areas north of Interstate 20 for now. That doesn't mean areas south of I-20 will not see dangerous wind chills.

* A extremely cold start Friday will only see high temperatures warming again into the middle 20s across the area. Wind chills will range between -10 to 10° early then range between 5-15° later in the day. A disturbance will work out of New Mexico and into Texas. This system is forecasted to bring some flurries or even some very light snow to our area. Again anything that falls will stick as cold as it is, but overall I don't see there being any accumulation issues. the best chances of seeing that snow look to be west of Abilene across the western counties of the viewing area.

* Weekend: Cold start Saturday morning but a little warmer as highs climb into the upper 30s on Saturday afternoon under a mostly sunny sky. Overnight lows will be in the upper teens. We are still mostly sunny on Sunday but warmer with highs in the middle 40s and dropping into the upper 20s for Sunday night.

* Next Week: Much warmer with highs back into the lower to middle 50s on Monday and into the middle of next week with a mostly sunny to partly cloudy sky. Models are developing a rain chance for the eastern counties on Wednesday and temperatutes should be warm enough for this to be all rain. This data could change so stay tuned.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Thursday...

It's Here !!!!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

The highly advertised Arctic cold front shifted the winds around in Abilene at 7:45pm tonight (Wednesday). Now, we suffer through three days of temperatures that will be 30 degrees below normal for this time of year.

Clouds were quickly building into the area from the north. The clouds may produce some very light drizzle, or mist, and fog, which will freeze on contact with all surfaces - sidewalks and roads - going into Thursday. Prepare for icy travel and be extra safe when driving the roads Thursday.

I'm still hanging with snow flurries on Friday from Abilene westward as a minor system comes out of New Mexico, into West Central Texas. No significant accumulations are likely, it looks pretty weak.

TEMPERATURES - around 20 Wednesday, and not much more than that Thursday.
Thursday night middle teens, Friday mid 20's, Friday night near 10, Saturday 32 or a little above.

WIND CHILL - the temperature will feel like zero to 10 degrees outside on Thursday and will feel like 5 to 15 degrees outside on Friday.

Sunday is the first day we climb into the 40's then near 50 on Monday.

Bundle Up! Check on your neighbors (especially the elderly) and make sure they have ample heat and water - let's take care of each other !

Randy

Mild Today, Arctic Blast Arrives Tonight:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Not quite so cold this morning at the time of this blog update but still temperatures ranging from between 30-35° with a clear sky over the area. Clouds will slowly begin to return later today ahead of our very strong Arctic cold front. Highs will be very mild today ranging between 55-60° across the Big Country, Heartland & Northern Concho Valley. Winds will be breezy out of the south. Enjoy the warmth today because we are heading into the deep freeze come tonight!

* The Arctic cold front will sweep across the Big Country late this evening and overnight. Expect a cloudy night with overnight lows dropping into the lower to middle 20s, with a few spots in the upper teens. Winds will be gusting out of the north between 20-30 miles per hour overnight which will send wind chill readings into the single digits and lower teens. Areas of freezing drizzle and fog, not to mention a few snow flurries will be possible overnight. No matter what form it falls it will stick so be extremely careful if you must be on the roadways overnight.

* Thursday will be cloudy in the morning with some lingering freezing drizzle, fog and some snow flurries. Again anything that falls will stick, so be extremely careful on the roads. Clouds will thin out some but I still feel we'll remain mostly cloudy. Very cold with highs only in the lower to middle 20s across the area. Wind chill readings will remain between the single digits and lower teens thanks to the north wind still ranging between 20-30 miles per hour. Mostly cloudy Thursday night with overnight lows in the lower teens. I think 10-15 is a good average but I would not be surprised to see some colder spots in the upper single digits.

* A extremely cold start Friday will only see high temperatures warming again into the middle 20s across the area. Wind chills will range between 0-10° as we're still seeing a northerly wind, not as strong as Thursday but still enough to add that "bite" to the air. A disturbance will work out of New Mexico and into Texas. This system is forecasted to bring some flurries or even some very light snow to our area. Again anything that falls will stick as cold as it is, but overall I don't see there being any accumulation issues. Having said that new forecast data could change that. That disturbance moves on through then we see what looks to be the coldest night on Friday night with a mostly clear sky and overnight lows in the very low teens and I do expect several areas to be in the upper single digits.

* Weekend: Cold start Saturday morning but a little warmer as highs climb into the upper 30s on Saturday afternoon under a mostly sunny sky. Overnight lows will be in the upper teens. We are still mostly sunny on Sunday but warmer with highs in the upper 40s and dropping into the upper 20s for Sunday night.

* Next Week: Much warmer with highs back into the lower 50s on Monday but clouds increase. Models bring another system into the area on Tuesday with some cooler air. Precipitation is forecasted with this system so I've included a slight chance for the area. Remains to be seem if it's a cold rain or something wintry in the precipitation area.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the latest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Wednesday...

Brief Mild Spell Then Major Arctic Cold Blast:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Another cold winter morning across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley this morning with temperatures in the upper teens and lower to middle 20s. We also have a little patchy fog in a few locations as well, otherwise things are clear and quiet this morning. Expect a mostly sunny day ahead with temperatures warmer and milder into the upper 40s and lower 50s with a southerly breeze. I think 48-53 is a good temperature spread for the area. The southernly breeze will help keep the numbers up tonight into the lower and middle 30s. Another nice and mild day on Wednesday with highs in the lower to middle 50s and a southwest breeze.

* The coldest air of the season is expect across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley starting Wednesday night as an Arctic cold front arrives in the region. Very strong north winds behind the cold front will bring wind chills into the single digits and low teens Thursday morning as temperatures fall into the lower to mid 20s. An extended period of very cold and below freezing temperatures is expected across the area well into Saturday morning. Highs are expected to remain below freezing Thursday and drop into the lower and mid teens Thursday night. Temperatures will stay well below freezing into the middle 20s on Friday before falling into lower to middle teens again Saturday morning. Widespread wintry precipitation is not expected. However a few areas may see light freezing drizzle/fog or snow flurries Wednesday night and Thursday morning. No accumulation is expected at the moment but the forecast could change with new data so stay tuned to KBRC.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the lastest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Have a nice Tuesday...

Brutally Cold Starting Wednesday Night

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner .....

From time to time, a large and very powerful airmass breaks loose from its home near the Arctic and heads south. One such airmass has the Big Country in the crosshairs this week, beginning Wednesday night. Here is what to expect..

* Cold front arrival - Wednesday evening into Wednesday night
* North wind - 20 to 30mph with gusts
* Temperatures - drop to near 20 by Thursday morning ... warm little or none during the day Thursday. Remain below freezing until Saturday afternoon, perhaps not until Sunday.
* Precipitation - in the cold air Wednesday night and Thursday, light mist, or fog, or drizzle - all of which will stick on contact to surfaces, since temperatures are so cold.
* Another system on Friday - coming out of New Mexico, this one could spread some light snow across the area Friday.

DANGERS - bursting pipes, wind chills near zero Thursday, possible icy roads Thursday and Friday.

PREPARATIONS - properly insulate pipes, cover outdoor faucets, drain water hoses, make sure vehicle radiators are protected to zero or below, properly inflate your tires, stock up on food and water for a couple of days in case roads become hazardous, make sure heating systems are in proper working order.

This will likely be a changing weather scenario with winter weather watchings and warnings possible at mid-week. Monitor this blog, bigcountryhomepage.com and, of course, on KRBC TV.

By the way, watch the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles battle Saturday night on KRBC !!

Randy

Cool Today, Milder Tomorrow, Cold Blast Midweek:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Patchy fog and low clouds out there this morning across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley. Temperatures are well into the 20s this morning so don't be surprised to see some freezing fog in spots. The fog and low clouds will lift by the middle of the morning. Expect a partly cloudy day but still cool with afternoon highs ranging from the upper 30s into the lower 40s. A few clouds will still be in place tonight but another cold night ahead with lows in the lower to middle 20s. A northeast wind will shift southeast by this evening. A little midler for Tueday and Wednesday with highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s under a mostly sunny to partly cloudy sky.

* The coldest air of the season is expect across the Big Country, Heartland and the Northern Concho Valley for late week and into the early weekend. An Arctic cold front will move into West Central Texas by late Wednesday night and into early Thursday. Very strong north winds behind the cold front will bring wind chills into the single digits and low teens Thursday morning as temperatures fall into the lower to mid 20s. An extended period of very cold temperatures into Saturday Morning. Highs are expected to remain below freezing Thursday and drop into the lower and mid teens ThursdayNight. Temperatures will struggle to rise above freezing on Friday before falling into mid teens again Saturday morning. Widespread wintry precipitation is not expected. However a few areas may see light freezing drizzle or snow flurries Wednesday ight. No accumulation is expected at the moment but the forecast could change with new data so stay tuned to KBRC.

* The Winter Outlook: The Climate Prediction Center indicates a moderate El Niño pattern will bring West Central Texas a wetter pattern here in the winter months. Increased wintry precipitation is possible depending on temperature trends. Equal chances of above or below normal temperatures remain possible for the area.

* Drought Information: For the lastest drought information for the state of Texas please visit the U.S Drought Monitor website by clicking here. The data is updated by the government every Thursday morning around 7:30 AM local time. We're starting to see some light drought conditions returning to the far western counties.

* Join us for the latest news and weather updates in the mornings for Abilene & the Big Country on KRBC's Abilene Today at 6:00 A.M. and on Abilene Midday at 11:30 A.M. Our news and weather coverage continues in the afternoon at 5:00 and tonight 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. on KRBC.

* KRBC on Twitter: You can follow us on twitter anytime for quick weather updates, especially during severe weather and winter weather events affecting the Big Country by visiting the KRBC Weather Twitter. News updates from KRBC and our website BigCountryHomepage.Com are available via twitter also by visiting the Big Country Homepage Twitter.

Enjoy your Monday...