Austin weather: Cold front arrives with wind chills in single digits

What's the weather like today?

By the numbers:

AUSTIN, Texas - It's cold front day! The front with the arctic flavor arrives late in the day. 

Cloudy with showers possible during the day and then turning colder and windy this evening. 

Wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph and wind chills are expected to be in the single digits and teens by morning.

Will there be ice and snow?

What To Expect:

When the cold air gets here it will stick around through the first half of the weekend. 

The rain will shut off before it gets to freezing tonight so not expecting ice or snow for the next 48 hours.

A large portion of the state will be under an Extreme Cold Watch from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, says the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service says that portions of north and Central Texas might see "dangerously cold wind chills as low as 10 below zero," west central Texas is expected to see "dangerously cold wind chill  readings dropping to near or below zero" and a portion of western Texas could see "dangerously cold wind chills as low as 4 below".

Local perspective:

ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch for February 19 through February 21.

The watch has been issued due to forecasted extreme cold weather expected across the region, bringing higher electrical demand and a potential for lower reserves.

ERCOT says that grid conditions are expected to be normal, and it is monitoring weather conditions closely and will deploy all available tools to manage the grid.

In Austin, cold weather shleters are open now until at least February 20.  Those who need shelter will need to go to One Texas Center, at 505 Barton Springs Road, from 6-8 p.m. to register for overnight shelter.

You must register each day you need shelter.

Bus routes to the OTC are lines: 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142, 801. Anyone seeking a cold weather shelter who does not have the means to pay the fare will still be given a ride.

You can also call the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline at 512-972-5055.

What you can do:

Get the jacket, gloves and hat ready to go!

The NWS advises dressing in layers, including a hat, face mask, and gloves if you go outside, but remain indoors if possible. Residents should also cover and drip/drain their outdoor pipes and sprinkler systems, cover your plants and bring your pets indoors or ensure they have shelter that is warm and dry.

The NWS is also warning Texans to make sure they're using their portable heaters correctly and to not use generators or grills inside.

You can also stay weather aware and track your local forecast for the Austin area quickly with the free FOX 7 WAPP. The design gives you radar, hourly, and 7-day weather information just by scrolling. Our weather alerts will warn you early and help you stay safe during storms.

ERCOT is encouraging Texans to sign up for grid condition notifications through the Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS). 

Texans can also monitor real-time and extended grid conditions at ercot.com and subscribe to ERCOT Emergency Alerts, which are not sent through TXANS notifications, and download the ERCOT mobile app for additional notifications: iOS | Android.

ERCOT also recommends reducing electric use during peak demand times. Energy-saving tips can be found on the TXANS webpage.