Update: As Austin's winter weather advisory is set to expire, Austin roads are all clear. (See an interactive map from TxDOT.)
The National Weather Service says Saturday morning will be mostly cloudy, but skies clear and grow sunny during the afternoon. Warm winds will bring highs to up into the low 70s Saturday afternoon.
Update (11:58 p.m.): The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio has extended its winter weather advisory until 4 p.m., due to temperatures rising slower than expected. It urges motorists to use caution on area roads.
Update (10:34 a.m.): AISD says it will resume regular operations at 4:45 p.m. today, allowing athletics and fine arts events to proceed.
Update (10:12 a.m.): Reports of increased precipitation are beginning to come in.
On Twitter, TxDOT Austin says precipitation is falling in Austin and surrounding areas, with reports of slick spots. The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio says "reports of freezing drizzle and ice accumulation have been increasing over the past hour."
Austin Police say there are currently no icy roads or weather related incidents – but urge motorists to drive safely.
Update (9:25 a.m.): Austin is still under a winter weather advisory until noon, although freezing precipitation appears sparse, and area roads look clear. Still, agencies aren't taking any chances: the City of Austin and the University of Texas announced this morning will remain closed all day Friday.
Read the full post below for the list of school and government closures KUT has at the moment. We'll be updating throughout the day as new information is available.
Time Warner Cable News meteorologist Burton Fitzsimmons tells KUT of sporadic spots of freezing drizzle in the Austin-area, and notes more drizzle could blow in from the west until noon. But so far, weather isn’t impacting Austin roads: Austin Police report no weather related crashes this morning and no road closures.
Thursday evening, the Austin Independent School District canceled Friday classes because of the threat of a wintry mix across Central Texas. Most schools in the region followed AISD's lead in making it a three-day weekend.
Closed on Friday (Colleges & School Districts):
- University of Texas (open for evening activity at 5 p.m.)
- Austin Community College
- Concordia University
- Huston-Tillotson University
- St. Edwards University
- Texas State University
- Austin ISD
- Bastrop ISD
- Blanco ISD
- Burnet Consolidated ISD
- Coupland ISD
- Del Valle ISD
- Dripping Springs ISD
- Eanes ISD
- Elgin
- Florence ISD
- Georgetown ISD
- Granger ISD
- Harmony Public Schools-Austin
- Hays CISD
- Hutto ISD
- IDEA Allan Academy and College Prep
- Jarrell ISD
- Johnson City ISD
- Lago Vista ISD
- Lake Travis ISD
- Leander ISD
- Lockhart ISD
- Marble Falls ISD
- Manor ISD
- Pflugerville ISD
- Round Rock ISD
- Smithville ISD
- Taylor ISD
- Texas School for the Deaf
- Wayside Schools
- Wimberley ISD
Opening Late (School Districts)
- Luling ISD (10 a.m.)
- Prairie Lea ISD (10 a.m.)
- San Marcos Consolidated ISD (Two-hour delay)
- Thrall ISD (10 a.m.)
Government/Community Closures and Delays:
- City of Austin offices (Closed)
- Bastrop County offices and courts (Closed)
- Hays County Offices (2 hour delay)
- Pflugerville offices and facilities (Closed)
- Round Rock offices and facilities (Closed)
- Texas Comptroller's Office (Noon)
- Travis County offices (Noon)
- Williamson County offices (Closed)
- Meals on Wheels and More (Closed)
Earlier: The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for South Central Texas effective 6 a.m. until noon Friday.
The weather service is forecasting the next round will start as a mix of sleet and freezing drizzle after midnight, and then transition to freezing rain at around sunrise. Forecaster Marianne Sutton says precipitation will fall - it’s just a matter of where. “Anywhere it falls when it’s this wintry precip will cause travel headaches, but it’s especially worse if it’s over the metro areas,” Sutton says.
That would make for treacherous conditions on the roads, particularly if they’re exposed.
“The problem, especially around the Austin area, is now that we have all of those flyovers and all the elevated bridges and overpasses, they tend to be much cooler, because the air can get underneath them, so there probably will be another round of traffic headaches in the morning.”
As of 7 p.m. Thursday, Johnson City ISD has announced a 10 a.m. start with buses running two hours later than usual Friday morning. Blanco ISD says it's starting late also.
