La Nina conditions will result in a warmer, drier than normal winter, but Central Texas residents will not see Lake Travis drop below normal levels, said Bob Rose, chief meteorologist for the Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the area's primary water supply.
Lake Travis remains at 103 percent full today—above its full level of 681 feet mean sea level, according to the LCRA.
“The wet pattern we’ve been in for the last week is an anomaly,” Rose said.
He said December and January are two of the area’s driest months. Less lake water is likely to evaporate during the winter months and demand decreases enough during this time to provide a cushion to Lake Travis, Rose said, even with the La Nina weather pattern that is expected to last through February.
“We’re so far above normal now that we won’t be going below normal this winter,” he said.
Colder weather is expected during January and February than in November and December, Rose said. However, Central Texans may see short bursts of chilly weather, with temperatures dropping into the 20s or even teens, he said.
“I do think we will see more freezes this winter than last,” Rose said.
Overall, the area can anticipate a below-normal trend in rainfall and average temperatures above normal for much of the winter, he said.