Will the Brazos Valley have a big freeze Tuesday? Maybe, maybe not. Scientists at Texas A&M University say we could know for sure if we had more resources to predict the weather.

"In fact, the public would be surprised to know how few weather resources there are," said Bruce Gammon, Texas A&M associate meteorology research scientist.

"Everybody could get benefits from having a better forecast," Gammon said.

Gammon and other meteorologists at Texas A&M say a system called the Texas MesoNet would allow for a more accurate forecast.

"You can watch the TV and figure out that they miss quite a bit," Gammon said. "With the MesoNet the misses will be less frequent."

MesoNet is a plan to put more than 700 automated weather stations around the state and in the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, there are only about 100. The MesoNet would measure the temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, humidity and other weather-related items.

Using technology now available, the National Weather Service in Houston is predicting cloudy skies and cold temperatures for Tuesday with an 80 percent chance of rain and a possibility of sleet or snow, said Don Oettinger, spokesman for the Houston office.

Temperatures are expected to dip down to the low 30s, not climbing out of the 30s until Thursday, he said.

The rain is expected to end on Friday with temperatures rising to the lower 40s.

Gammon said the MesoNet system would not compete but add to the resources that the National Weather Service utilizes.

"There's not a citizen in the state that wouldn't benefit from having this in place because we are talking about improving the forecasts for 24 to 36 hours," said Gammon.

Financing of more than $20 million is being sought to get the MesoNet up and running, a process that is expected to take about five years," said Gammon.

"After the initial, five year installation period, it's estimated that MesoNet would cost $7 million a year to operate," he said.

"The only manpower needed to run the statewide system would be when the machines need to be calibrated," Gammon said.

The MesoNet predictions would be monitored through telecommunications, he said.

Texas A&M is planning to ask the Texas Legislature for more than $1 million to get the project started, Gammon said.

The weather tracking system wouldn't be unique to Texas. Oklahoma is currently using the system with 111 stations in place, Gammon said.

"We've done enough studies to know that there is a potential for a lot of money to be saved by having this in place," Gammon said.