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A blast of cold arctic air appears likely to arrive in San Antonio between midday and late afternoon on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
It will not take long for weather conditions to become frigid either. After hitting a high in the upper 60s on Friday, temperatures will plunge 30 degrees by Saturday morning.
Beginning around 6 a.m. on Saturday, San Antonians need to bundle up for a long haul of bitterly cold temperatures through at least Tuesday morning. The high on Saturday will be around 40 and the high on Sunday will be just above freezing. Wake up temperatures this weekend and before the morning commute on Monday will be around 20.
This weekend may be a good time to just hibernate indoors with bowl of chili or a cup of Mexican hot chocolate.
Gusty winds at times will create even lower wind chills, some in the single digits in some spots this weekend, so it's important not to go outside with any bare skin.
Meteorologist Allison Prater of the National Weather Service in Fort Worth said exposure to frigid elements for too long could result in frost bite. She described some symptoms and actions to take.
"A loss of feeling or a pale or white appearance in your extremities ... fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose," she said. "And if you see those, we want you to seek medical attention, drink warm fluids, and put on an extra layer of clothes or blankets."
Frozen precipitation cannot be ruled out for San Antonio this weekend, but even the worst-case scenario, as of Wednesday, appeared to be no more than a tenth of an inch of freezing rain or sleet. The worst of the wintry mix is likely to remain north of the Alamo City.
It should be pointed out even a tenth of an inch of frozen precipitation can create slick spots on roads, especially elevated bridges and overpasses. Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman—Jennifer Serold—said they will begin applying brine to roadways in the San Antonio area from Thursday morning through the midday, so motorists need to be on the lookout for TxDOT crews.
Some snow flurries can't be ruled out for the Hill Country on Sunday and will be the last of any frozen precipitation in the area.
