The Cool-Down Continues This Weekend

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Seasonable temperatures ruled across the area today with highs mainly in the mid 70s to low 80s. It looks like we'll have similar temperatures on Saturday with highs in the upper 70s. Weather conditions should be about perfect for Boo at the Zoo at the Abilene Zoo tomorrow evening. Temperatures should be cooling down into the mid 60s to low 70s for the event which is from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A cold front is still expected to arrive on Sunday. We will likely see cloudy skies and a 20% chance of isolated showers. With little sunshine possible on Sunday and colder air filtering in, we probably won't make it past the upper 50s for highs.

The cool temperatures look to hang around Monday through Wednesday. We should see mostly cloudy skies on Monday, so highs will likely be in the low 60s. Mostly sunny skies are expected Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the mid to upper 60s. So, after seeing above average temperatures for most of the past week, it looks like we will be swinging temperatures below average for the beginning of next week.

Hurricane Wilma made landfall near Cozumel, Mexico around lunchtime today as a Category 4 hurricane. Here is the 11 p.m. EDT (10 p.m. CDT) advisory from the National Hurricane Center:

...CENTER OF EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE WILMA JUST ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL ON THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SAN FELIPE TO CHETUMAL ON THE YUCATAN PENINSULA...INCLUDING COZUMEL AND THE NEARBY ISLANDS.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF SAN FELIPE TO CELESTUN.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROVINCES OF LAHABANA...CIUDAD DE LA HABANA...PINAR DEL RIO...AND THE ISLE OF YOUTH.
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT IN CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES OF MATANZAS WESTWARD THROUGH PINAR DEL RIO...AND FOR THE ISLE OF YOUTH.
ALL INTERESTS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS AND THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE WILMA.
AT 10 PM CDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE WILMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 86.9 WEST OR ABOUT15 MILES... 25 KM...SOUTH OF CANCUN MEXICO.
THIS IS ALSO ABOUT 20 MILES... 35 KM...NORTH OF COZUMEL MEXICO.
WILMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH... 6 KM/HR.
A SLOW MOTION TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST OR NORTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
THIS MOTION SHOULD BRING THE CENTER OF WILMA OVER THE EXTREME NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 140 MPH...220 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WILMA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.
SOME WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THECENTER OF WILMA IS OVER LAND.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 932 MB...27.52 INCHES.
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 11 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES... CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER ALONG ON THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA.
WILMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 10 TO 20 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH SUNDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN CUBA AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 40 INCHES POSSIBLE.
OUTER RAINBANDS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA... ESPECIALLY THE KEYS... PRODUCING 2 TO 4 INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH SUNDAY.
NOAA BUOY 42003 IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO INDICATES THAT LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY WILMA HAVE PROPAGATED WELL INTO THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO.
THESE SWELLS WILL LIKELY AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.

We'll continue to keep you up to date on the latest.

Have a spectacular Saturday!