Posted: Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:23 AM - 13,962 Readers

By: Claudia Grisales

The Austin area is in for another sunny and warm afternoon before a cold front brings much lower temperatures into the region tomorrow.

Today’s high is slated to reach 86 and a low of 63 tonight, the National Weather Service said.

Winds will be 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tonight, we could see winds pick up as a cold front approaches the region early Thursday morning, with forecasts showing it could reach the Austin Area by mid-morning.

Showers are possible ahead of and along the front, but “rainfall amounts will be disappointingly low and generally less than one-tenth of an inch,” the service said. Rain chances are 40 percent tomorrow and 20 percent tonight. Rain chances will end by Thursday night, the service said.

The moisture accompanying the high winds has dampened concerns of an elevated fire threat.

Temperatures are expected to decline dramatically during the day Thursday and into the weekend, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s by Friday night. The high tomorrow is slated to be 65, with a low that night of 50.

We could also see colder mornings following the passage of the front as temperatures gradually rise. By Halloween, we’ll see a high in the mid-70s and lows in the 50s.

“The dry air-mass filtering into the region behind the front will keep chilly mornings and seasonable afternoons through early next week,” the service said.