After enduring one of the coldest stretches of winter so far, Texas is finally starting to loosen its icy grip. An arctic cold front that swept through the state in late January pushed temperatures to extreme lows, keeping Houston at or below freezing for nearly 30 straight hours. San Antonio stayed frozen for almost two full days, Austin spent about 50 hours below freezing, and the Dallas–Fort Worth area saw the longest cold snap, with temperatures locked in for nearly 58 hours.
While it’s still colder than usual for this time of year, relief is on the way. Temperatures across much of Texas are expected to climb into the 40s and 50s by Wednesday, with some areas warming into the 60s by Thursday afternoon.
That brings up the big question many Texans are asking: is winter finally backing off, or is February preparing another cold surprise?
Before any long-term warming fully settles in, one more cold front is expected later this week. The front should arrive Thursday and keep conditions chilly through the weekend, carrying into the first day of February on Sunday. Much of the state could wake up to a hard freeze that morning, with temperatures dropping into the teens and 20s. The upside is that this system is expected to stay dry, with no ice or snow in the forecast.
Looking ahead to early February, long-range weather models point toward a fairly quick rebound. From February 3 through February 10, above-average temperatures are likely across much of Texas. The Panhandle could run several degrees warmer than normal, while cities like Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston may see temperatures slightly above average. That would put daytime highs comfortably in the upper 50s to low 60s for many areas.
Mid-February may bring another shift. Forecast models show signs of cooler air returning between February 11 and February 18, with temperatures potentially dipping a few degrees below normal. This doesn’t mean another major arctic blast is on the way, but it does suggest that freezing mornings could make another appearance.
As for the final stretch of February, confidence drops. Some models continue to hint at slightly cooler-than-average conditions, while others suggest temperatures will level out closer to normal.
Even so, late February in Texas often offers the first true taste of spring. Average afternoon highs begin pushing toward 70 degrees in cities like Houston, Austin and San Antonio, and the atmosphere starts becoming more favorable for stronger thunderstorms as March approaches.
For now, the takeaway is this: February could end up colder than average, but nothing points to a repeat of January’s deep freeze just yet. Forecasts will continue to evolve, so keeping an eye on the weather remains a smart move as winter slowly winds down.
