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...