Front moves in, Valley gets first taste of cold weather

Today’s forecast calls for a high of 70 degrees, but keep those jackets and umbrellas handy. Another cold front is expected to sweep through the Rio Grande Valley on Friday.

"That will drop our temperatures down again into the 40s," said Tim Speece, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville. "We will probably get some of our coldest temperatures so far."

The first bout of gloomy weather hit Brownsville on Monday, after a cold front moved through the Valley. A second storm system, a low pressure area from northwestern Mexico, also brought widespread steady showers through Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The Valley received about 1½-3 inches of rain, and Brownsville received 1½-2 inches of rain. Temperatures dropped into the 40s by Tuesday night. Clear skies are predicted for today.

"We have had mild cold fronts move through the Valley (in the last few months)," Speece said. "But this was the first cold, dreary and wet one."

Meteorologists expect Friday’s temperatures to stay above freezing, unlike in patches throughout Hebbronville, Falfurrias and Sarita. But January is typically the coldest month of the year for Brownsville, with an average high of 69 degrees and an average low of 51 degrees.

"We are by no means out of the woods," Speece said. "We are just seeing the beginning of winter. We have a couple of more months to possibly see some high freezes."

So far, the city has not seen any severe weather accidents, but officials are urging motorists to slow down when on the roadways, said Jeff Johnston, director of the Brownsville Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

"We want Brownsville to shop, but do it safely," Johnston said.