Austin weather: Isolated showers expected before hot, drier week

AUSTIN – Central Texas is bracing for another hot day with a slight chance of isolated showers Sunday, mirroring Saturday’s weather pattern, before a drier and even hotter week sets in.

Saturday saw temperatures across the Lone Star State reach the triple digits in some areas, while Houston and Tyler hit 92 degrees. Austin warmed to 96 degrees, which was still slightly below the typical 98 degrees for this time of year, a difference attributed to about a third of an inch of rainfall received in Austin.

Sunday Forecast

Sunday is expected to present a similar setup. Early morning brought cloudy and gray conditions with temperatures around 78 degrees in Austin and Giddings, and 74 in Fredericksburg. Winds from the south at 5 to 10 mph are contributing to muggy conditions, with dew points in the 70s across the region.

While rain chances remain low, moisture from the Gulf is moving inland from the southeast. Showers and isolated storms are most likely to bubble up between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., primarily from the southeast, before chances diminish after sunset. Gusty winds are possible with any storms, but severe weather is not anticipated. Rainfall amounts are expected to be trace to a tenth of an inch over the next 48 hours, though some isolated spots could see around a third of an inch.

The week ahead

Looking ahead, high pressure is set to dominate the weather pattern, leading to a very warm week with less than a 10% chance of wet weather on Monday, though isolated sprinkles aren’t entirely out of the question during peak daytime heating. Rain chances are expected to increase slightly by next weekend, potentially bringing a small dip in temperatures.

Despite the impending heat, July has been noted as one of the wetter and cooler Julys on record for the region, thanks to recent rainfall. Residents are advised to stay hydrated throughout the day.