National Weather Service
Tuesday forecast for Austin: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Light southeast wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. A 20 percent chance of showers at night. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Rain chances increase to 40 percent on Wednesday, which will see a high near 84, the National Weather Service says.
Heavy rain, possible flooding expected for F1 weekend
It was welcome news on Monday when the National Weather Service said the Austin metro area could expect some heavy rain later this week, especially as firefighters in Bastrop County ended their seventh day battling a 4,500-acre wildfire.
But on Tuesday, the weather service issued a new forecast calling for rain timed for the F1 races at Circuit of the Americas this weekend: the heaviest rains would likely start on Thursday and continuing through Sunday, with potential flooding Saturday and Saturday night.
Rain chances will gradually increase during the week, starting on Wednesday, but the best chances for locally heavy rainfall will occur Saturday and Saturday night across parts of the Hill Country, the Interstate 35 corridor and coastal areas, the weather service said.
What’s worse for F1 fans, the weather service warns that heavy rain and potential for lightning could lead to disruptions of outdoor activities Friday and through the weekend.
Not only will F1 race fans face the prospect of being soaked while sitting in the stands, but anybody driving into Austin from Houston will likely encounter rain through much of their trip.
Computer models are projecting total rainfall amounts from Wednesday through Sunday could range from 3 to 6 inches across Central Texas, including the Hill Country and the Austin metro area.
