Workweek starts with a bit of a chill

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Break out the jacket Monday morning. We’ll see temperatures in the mid-40s here in Austin, and expect the mid-60s by the afternoon.

The cold front moved through Austin right at 5 p.m. Sunday, but unfortunately we didn’t see any rain from its passage.

Behind it, much drier, colder air is filtering into Central Texas. Tuesday morning will likely be the coldest of the week, with a freeze possible in the Hill Country.

As the strong upper-level low pressure system ejects from the western U.S. and enters the Central Plains, it has left up to four feet of snow in its wake in mountainous parts of the northern Rockies.

This upper-level disturbance in the atmosphere is dragged the strong cold front to the south, draped from central Arkansas southwestward into central Texas.

The cold front has more of a punch closer to the center of the low pressure system, as temperature differences on either side of the front are approaching 30 degrees through parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma.

• Follow the radar

Upper-level wind patterns in northeastern Texas as well as parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas are favorable for tornado development, prompting a tornado watch for those areas this afternoon.

The southern extent of the cold front that is currently draped from Temple and Killeen to Burnet and Marble Falls is a bit weaker, with temperatures only dropping 10-15 degrees as the front blows through. Further to the south, the front more or less washes out south of Blanco and Gillespie counties.

On Monday, a light but persistent north wind will continue to filter in colder, drier air behind the front – setting us up for a very chilly Tuesday morning. Highs Monday will only reach the mid to upper-60s, which is a few degrees below average.

On Tuesday morning, many areas of the Hill Country could see their first freeze, with low temperatures of 30-32 degrees expected, and even a few degrees colder in low-lying valleys and creek beds.

Metro Austin and eastern counties should only fall to the upper-30s to near 40 on Tuesday morning, but this will still be some of the chilliest air the area has seen this fall.

Monday and Tuesday will bring abundant sunshine courtesy of the dry air behind the front.

As the front progresses through central Texas this afternoon, be sure to monitor the radar on KXAN.com. And get ready for some chilly air!
A cold front is moving through the Hill Country on Sunday afternoon.