Residents across the region should prepare for a chilly start to Thursday, as cold temperatures settle in overnight. A Freeze Warning and Frost Advisory will be in effect from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Thursday for many western counties. Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 31°F are expected in the freeze warning zone, particularly in sheltered, low-lying areas. In the frost advisory area, temperatures may dip to around 33°F.

Winds will ease overnight under mostly clear skies, allowing temperatures to fall into the 30s and 40s by morning. Many locations in the western zones are forecast to drop below freezing. Residents are encouraged to dress warmly and take precautions to protect sensitive plants and pets.

Thursday will bring sunny skies and afternoon highs in the 60s, followed by another cool night with lows ranging from the upper 30s to mid-40s. Conditions remain favorable for outdoor activities, including Halloween festivities Friday evening. Expect temperatures in the 60s early in the evening, falling into the 50s later on, with light winds and mostly clear to partly cloudy skies. No rain is expected.

Looking ahead to the weekend, cool nights and pleasant daytime temperatures are forecast, with only a slight chance of rain on Saturday. Rainfall amounts should remain light, and no severe weather is anticipated. Residents are reminded to set their clocks back one hour Saturday night as daylight saving time ends.

In the Austin and San Antonio areas, Thursday will be sunny and cooler than average, with north winds at 5–10 mph and highs in the 60s and 70s. Dry conditions are expected to continue through the next week, although showers may develop over the eastern half of South-Central Texas on Saturday as a cold front moves through. Temperatures will remain near to below seasonal norms.

NOAA weather radio station WXK27, broadcasting at 162.400 MHz from Austin, is currently off the air due to an equipment issue. Technicians have identified the problem and are awaiting a replacement part. Updates are available at weather.gov/ewx.

Nationally, a strengthening storm system is bringing widespread showers, thunderstorms, and gusty winds to the Northeast, with a risk of coastal flooding. Cooler-than-average temperatures continue across the Southeast and southern Plains. Meanwhile, a Pacific storm system is expected to deliver heavy rainfall to the Pacific Northwest on Friday, with several inches possible in mountainous areas.

Elsewhere, light showers may affect parts of the Plains and Upper Midwest, while lake-effect precipitation is possible near the Great Lakes. Along the western Gulf Coast, moisture return ahead of a developing front could bring isolated thunderstorms by Saturday morning.

Hurricane Melissa continues to move north-northeast in the western Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds of 90 knots and gusts up to 110 knots. The system is expected to become extratropical by Saturday and gradually weaken as it tracks northeastward. Rough seas associated with Melissa will begin to subside through the weekend.

Stay tuned to KNCT for hourly updates and visit myKNCT.com for on-demand reports and forecasts.