As rain ends, cool weather to invade

A weather system that brought widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms to the area Friday cleared the way for chilly temperatures through the coming week.

National Weather Service meteorologist Aaron Treadway said a flash flood watch is in place until noon today for Bexar and the surrounding counties as rain continues this morning.

When the downpours stop, high temperatures are forecast to top out in the low 50s in the afternoon.

“It’s going to be a chilly day,” Treadway said. “We're going to have a pretty gusty north wind through the day that’s going to make temps ... feel in the upper 40s.”

As of 6 p.m. Friday, the official rainfall total recorded 1.1 inches at San Antonio International Airport with still more showers expected through the night. Treadway said the deluge could break the record rainfall total of 1.45 inches for Dec. 7 set back in 1960.

He noted that a total of 2½ inches of rainfall had already been reported in the Dominion area and around New Braunfels.

By Friday evening, Bexar County officials had closed 28 roads because of flooding, with the bulk of the barricades going up in northern half of the area.

Meteorologists urged drivers approaching low-water crossings or standing water to remember the life-saving phrase: “Turn around, don’t drown.”

Heavy rains accumulated the most in Austin, San Marcos and parts of New Braunfels with a total of 3 to 3½ inches over 48 hours as of Friday, meteorologists said.

“We’ve seen some minor street flooding in New Braunfels and Austin,” Treadway said.

Low temperatures in the midto upper 30 degrees with highs in the mid-50s are forecast for Sunday through Tuesday.

“We do have sunshine returning Sunday afternoon into Monday, but it is going to remain relatively chilly,” he said.