Cold, hard fact: Front chills weekend

The pendulum known as Houston weather continues to bounce from balmy to chilly.

A cold front quickly brought about four days’ worth of mild weather in the 70s to a drastic end Thursday afternoon by introducing temperatures daring to reach 40 degrees. The weather system is expected to linger through Saturday afternoon with cloudy skies and a slight chance of showers, according to meteorologists.

An overnight breeze will subside Friday morning, National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Woods said.

The weather will gradually heat up from Saturday evening through Tuesday — only to be pushed out again with the arrival of another cold front, he said.

Temperature dips in February are normal, but, according to Woods, the cold air tends to loiter over the region for longer.

“We typically do get temperature swings in the winter, but we’re getting warm pretty quick,” he said.

Thursday’s cold front broke up a brush of fog along the coast, near Galveston. Forecasters are not expecting hazardous weather there, but a slight chance of gusty winds could kick off Friday morning.

For Houstonians planning on heading north to Dallas, pack a jacket. The morning will begin below freezing, in the 20s, according to Fort Worth forecasters. By afternoon, light sleet and snow could sweep through parts of North and Central Texas with little to no accumulation.

The weekend will give way to warmer temperatures and light rain.

Mark Mulligan / Staff photographer Jerrica Soto holds her boyfriend, Erric Cabrera, as they stroll through Hermann Park wrapped in a blanket on Thursday. The pair said it wasn’t that cold when they left the house.