An Acrtic airmass is barreling south and should reach the DFW Metroplex by sunrise Sunday morning. Temperatures should plummet 10 to 20 degrees with a an hour or so behind the front. Sunday’s high temperatures are occuring now. This airmass is very dense but shallow, only about 1 km thick vertically. It will also hang around most of the upcoming week.
As cold air advection intensifies Sunday evening, temperatures will drop below freezing all the way to Waco Monday morning. An upper level storm system will approach from out west setting the stage for freezing drizzle on Monday. This will start the icing process on bridges and overpasses. Because it is drizzle, roads may look fine, but are actually coated with a glaze of black ice. Motorists should be very cautious traveling on Monday.
Conditions will worsen Monday night into Tuesday as temperatures get colder and precipitation ramps up. Sleet will also be mixing in with the freezing rain. Total ice accretion from this event depends on several factors and not entirely known at this time. However, it is becoming clear that ice may cause major travel headaches from the DFW Metroplex north and west. There may be enough ice accretion to warrant a Winter Storm Warning for part or all of the forecast area. Please stay alert to changing weather forecasts and conditions.