Central Texas is in for a weekend of shifting skies, gusty winds, and a dramatic temperature drop—part of a larger weather story unfolding across the nation.

Friday begins under mostly cloudy skies, with highs near 64. Winds from the south-southeast will start light but strengthen through the afternoon, gusting up to 25 mph. By Friday night, showers are likely between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., though rainfall amounts will be light. Temperatures will hold near 55, with a 60% chance of precipitation.

Saturday brings scattered showers and thunderstorms in the morning and again later in the day. Clouds will gradually clear by late afternoon, allowing highs to climb to a warm 77. Winds will shift from the south to the west, still gusting near 25 mph. By Saturday night, the cold front arrives, dropping lows to around 36. Winds will swing north, gusting up to 30 mph, ushering in a sharp chill.

The next weather system will reinforce the unsettled pattern. Showers and isolated storms are possible Saturday morning, but most activity should exit the region before additional rain and storms return late in the day. A strong cold front could bring hail and gusty winds, especially across Central and East Texas.

Looking ahead, well below normal temperatures will dominate into early next week. Clouds and periods of rain will keep conditions soggy, with overnight lows near or below freezing. The coldest stretch is expected Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Across the Austin and San Antonio area, skies will stay mostly cloudy with seasonably cool highs in the 60s to low 70s. Rain chances spread west to east through Friday and Saturday, before temperatures turn sharply colder on Sunday.

This Texas story is part of a national weather drama. Heavy lake-effect snow continues across the Great Lakes, with totals reaching 1–2 feet in some areas. Another winter storm is already impacting the northern Plains and Midwest, bringing 6–12 inches of snow and hazardous post-Thanksgiving travel. Meanwhile, the southern Plains and Gulf Coast face rounds of showers and thunderstorms, with isolated flooding possible.

By Sunday, much of the eastern and central U.S. will be locked in a wintry pattern, with highs in the 20s and 30s across the Midwest, 30s and 40s in the Northeast, and 40s and 50s in the Southeast. Even the Rockies and Plains will see temperatures plunge into the teens and 20s.

For Texas, it’s a rollercoaster: seasonably cool Friday, briefly warm Saturday, then sharply colder Sunday through next week. Rain chances remain in play most days, though Tuesday looks to be the coldest and driest.

🎶 And as the weather shifts, KNCT marks the first full day of Christmas music—bringing warmth and cheer to balance the chill in the air. Stay tuned for hourly updates from Bill Hecke and breaking news from the Associated Press.

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Friday Programming

StarDate: 5:57am & 4:57pm

Moon and Saturn: 🌙 Over the next two nights, the Moon will pass close to Saturn. The planet will shine like a bright star—positioned to the left of the Moon at nightfall this evening, then shifting to the lower right of the Moon tomorrow night.

The Sound of Texas: 630am & 12:30pm

Kendall Hemphill of Mason

The Daily Dose with Mitch Anthony: 8:30am

EarthDate: 9:30am & 3:30pm

Under Greenland’s Ice Sheet: Greenland, the largest island on Earth, is blanketed by an ice sheet that reaches depths of up to two miles. When scientists set out to study its age, they were astonished to discover that, not so long ago, the island was free of ice.

Science and the Sea: 10:30am & 2:30pm

Bowhead Whale: For a whale that spends its entire life in Arctic waters, ice is no obstacle. It powers forward, smashing through sheets up to two feet thick with ease. The secret lies in its massive skull, shaped like an archer’s bow—a feature that inspired its name: the bowhead whale.

SoundBeat: 11:30am & 1:30pm

War Requiem: Got 90 seconds? Then you’ve got time for a trip through the history of recorded sound! Sound Beat is a daily, 90-second show highlighting the holdings of the Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive. Belfer is part of Syracuse University Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center and is one of the largest sound archives in the United States. Each Sound Beat episode focuses on one particular recording from the Archive and provides a back story detailing its place in recording history.

The Softer Side with Carl Rossi, Episode 342: 5pm

On the Dock with Rick Smith: 6:15pm

Presented by Marine Outlet of Temple, Texas, your “Just Add Water” boat dealership. Join me, Rick Smith for On the Dock, the boats and boating, fish and fishing show on KNCT every Wednesday and Friday at 6:15pm. We are your source for the latest news and events involving the great Texas outdoors.