Yes, it's raining! Austin weather finally breaks 51-day streak without rain
Thunderstorms moving across the Austin area on Thursday afternoon ended a 51-day streak without measurable rain, providing sweet relief to the parched landscape and the people who call it home.
The rains arrived hours after the city had recorded its 67th 100-degree day of the year on Thursday, according to officials at Camp Mabry, the city’s main weather station. By 4 p.m., temperatures had dropped to the mid-70s.
The cold front was forecast to bring beneficial rain to the area through late Thursday. Showers are expected to continue into Friday with rain totals reaching a quarter of an inch to an inch, with the possibility of 2 inches in isolated areas, said Keith White, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Over the weekend, as rain chances dip, temperatures are expected to continue to be slightly cooler with highs reaching the 90s with lows in the 70s. Chances for precipitation reenter the forecast early next week and into the middle of the week.
Temperatures are anticipated to remain slightly cooler into next week, with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s, providing a break from consistent 100-degree temperatures.
Thursday's rain storm comes after Austin missed out on the significant tropical rains that fell on South Texas over the weekend.
A weak cold front brings beneficial rain for the northern half of South Central Texas through late tonight. Rain chances continue over most areas for the next several days. #txwx pic.twitter.com/cO8MCQMhYW
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) August 18, 2022
Despite the reprieve, the rainfall expected over the next few days is not anticipated to end the drought in the region, with meteorologists saying 10 inches of rain would be needed to have a notable impact.
The showers are not expected to bring severe weather or flooding to Central Texas, but drivers and hikers are being asked to move cautiously if they encounter any areas with high water.
Austin-Travis County EMS medics and Westlake and Austin firefighters were working to rescue a person stranded by flooding on the Barton Creek Greenbelt around 3:40 p.m. Thursday.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin weather: Rain finally falls after 51-day stretch
