Beware morning commuters: Icy roads possible

Walkers at Woodlawn Lake are bundled up Monday March 3, 2014 for the morning's chilly temperatures. Monday morning's temperatures were in the lower 30s and there is a chance of rain Monday night. Walkers at Woodlawn Lake are bundled up Monday March 3, 2014 for the morning's chilly temperatures. Monday morning's temperatures were in the lower 30s and there is a chance of rain Monday night. Photo: JOHN DAVENPORT, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Photo: JOHN DAVENPORT, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Image 1 of / 105 Caption Close Beware morning commuters: Icy roads possible 1 / 105 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — The shorts-and-sandals weather that San Antonio saw over the weekend seemed like a distant memory by Monday as temperatures dipped below freezing, accompanied by hail.

And the frigid conditions will likely continue Tuesday as morning commuters contend with the possibility of “thundersleet” and icy roads.

A National Weather Service winter weather advisory will remain in effect until noon for the area south of Texas 71 but along and north of Interstate 10, including metropolitan San Antonio.

“All unnecessary travel in this warning area should be delayed or canceled ... into Tuesday morning,” wrote meteorologist Paul Yura. “A light ice buildup may occur across the advisory area, causing travel headaches and delays.”

Ice accumulation is most likely to occur on bridges, overpasses, flyovers, cars and decks, forecasters said.

An Arctic air mass over the region, topped by moist Gulf air and an upper-level trough, is producing the moisture, according to the NWS. The precipitation was expected to taper off by midmorning.

Thunder accompanied by freezing rain, known as thundersleet, is possible, science and operations officer Jon Zeitler wrote. The Austin area is expected to be more severely impacted and is under a winter storm warning, according to the weather service.

Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing by noon Tuesday, and ice should melt quickly from the roads, Zeitler added. The day's high, however, is not expected to surpass the low 50s.

“There is no threat for the Tuesday evening commute,” Zeitler said.

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