Thursday, August 31, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was a very warm afternoon today with temperatures reaching the low to upper 90s across the area. We did have some evening showers and thunderstorms in Scurry and Mitchell counties due to an upper level disturbance that was able to make it into the viewing area. That rainfall should come to an end over the next hour or two.

We can expect another very warm day tomorrow with highs in the mid 90s.
There is a 20% chance of afternoon isolated showers and thunderstorms thanks to enough moisture being in place and the heating of the day. There will probably be some hit and miss storms during the evening hours which could affect some football games tomorrow night. You should probably take your rain gear with you if you are going to be out and about tomorrow night.

A cold front should arrive in the area beginning late tomorrow night and moving through the Big Country during the day on Saturday. This is when we will see our best chance of rain. That chance is 50% right now for scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs look to be in the low 80s on Saturday due to the cold front, mostly cloudy skies, and rainfall.

There is a 30% chance for more rain on Sunday as the cold front looks to stall around the I-10 corridor. This means that the southern portions of the viewing area have the best shot at seeing the rain. Highs will remain in the low 80s.

A stray shower or storm may linger in the southern portions of the viewing area on Labor Day so there is a slight chance for rainfall. Highs should warm up a little bit into the mid 80s.

The warming trend continues Tuesday through Thursday next week with highs in the upper 80s.

Tropical Storm Ernesto is about to make its third landfall in North Carolina near the Cape Fear area. Maximum sustained winds are 70 mph according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, which makes it a strong tropical storm. It will weaken as it moves across North Carolina tomorrow. This storm is going to drop lots of rainfall. In fact, 4 to 8 inches can be expected with isolated amounts of 12 possible. There will likely be flooding in parts of the Mid-Atlantic states. We will continue to keep you updated with the progress of this storm.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The beautiful conditions continued here in the Big Country today with highs in the low 90s which is what we average this time of year. It remained comfortable with dewpoints mainly in the 50s.

Tomorrow looks to be much like today with mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 90s.

Skies turn partly cloudy on Friday, but highs remain in the low 90s. It is on Friday night that rain may return to the area with the best chance being in our northern communities.

The reason for our chance for a rain is a cold front moving in from the north that should be in the area on Saturday. We can expect mostly cloudy skies and highs in the low to mid 80s. The chance for rain is 30% right now, but that could increase.

The front may be close enough to our southern communities on Sunday to cause some showers and thunderstorms. The chance is 20%. Skies should clear a little bit, but highs will remain in the low to mid 80s.

The first part of next week looks pleasant with mostly sunny skies and highs in the upper 80s.

Ernesto is currently a tropical depression as it begins to exit off of the Florida coastline and move back into the Atlantic Ocean according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. It looks like Ernesto will restrengthen to tropical storm status tomorrow before making landfall again along the South Carolina coastline. The mid-Atlantic states can expect strong winds, but the main problem will be the rainfall. Total amounts could reach as high as 12 inches so flooding will likely be a problem. We'll continue to update you with the movement of this storm.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The Pleasant Conditions Look To Continue

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was a picture perfect day across the Big Country. A cold front moved through the area this morning keeping our cooler, below average temperatures around. It also felt more comfortable as drier air filtered in as well.

We can expect a nice second half of the work week with mostly sunny skies expected. Highs should remain mainly at or below average in the upper 80s to low 90s. With the drier air in place it looks like our chance for rain is less than slight through Friday.

A better chance for rain arrives this weekend with another cold front. That chance for showers and thunderstorms is 20% right now, but could get better as we get closer to that time period. Highs should fall back into the mid to upper 80s for Saturday and Sunday.

The below average temperatures should continue for us early next week, so the Labor Day holiday looks to be pleasant.

Tropical Storm Ernesto will make landfall in the Florida Keys and south Florida tonight. Maximum sustained winds are 45 mph according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Rainfall amounts are expected to be around 3 to 6 inches with some isolated locations possibly receiving as much as 10 inches. The latest path projection on this storm has it moving across Florida tomorrow before briefly moving into the Atlantic Ocean and making landfall again in South Carolina on Thursday. It then looks to move through North Carolina into Virginia by Friday. We'll continue to keep you updated on this storm.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, August 28, 2006

Monday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The cooler temperatures remained across the Big Country today with lots of cloud cover and more rainfall. Highs were only able to make it into the 80s with the exception of Brownwood which made it to 77. Due to all of the rainfall in the southern portions of the viewing area over the weekend, Brown, Coleman, Coke, and Runnels counties were under a Flash Flood Watch all day.

A cold front should move through the area tonight, so we can expect more isolated showers and storms to develop. Lows should be in the mid to upper 60s.

There is a 20% chance for more rain tomorrow as the front moves out of the area. Skies should be partly cloudy by the afternoon, so with a little sunshine highs will be in the mid to upper 80s.

Wednesday through Friday look to be pleasant with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Our chance for rain is less than slight due to the drier air that should be in place behind the front.

Another cold front looks to arrive on Saturday so there is a 20% chance of rain this weekend. This front should cool our highs back down a little bit into the mid to upper 80s.

Tropical Storm Ernesto made its way across Cuba today and weakened quite a bit. The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center states that its maximum sustained winds are 40 mph. Ernesto should strengthen once it gets over the open water. It is moving west-northwest at 12 mph. The latest path projection has it making landfall in south Florida tomorrow night and moving close to Vero Beach by Wednesday night. Ernesto may then move over the Atlantic Ocean briefly before making another landfall in South Carolina on Thursday. We'll continue to keep you updated on the latest with this storm.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sunday, August 27, 2006

The Chance For Rain Continues

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We once again had scattered showers and thunderstorms move across most of the Big Country throughout the day. So far, we have officially picked up 1.17" in the last two days at Abilene Regional Airport. Doppler estimated rainfall shows 2 to 3 inches have been picked up in portions of Coke, Mitchell, and Nolan counties. Due to all of the cloud cover and rainfall in the viewing area, most of us only made it into the 80s for highs.
The southeastern communities of Brownwood and Comanche ended up making it into the low to mid 90s before the rain started.

You'll want to keep the rain gear handy for the next couple of days as a cold front is expected to move into the Big Country tomorrow before stalling out. This will keep the chance for more rainfall in the forecast. The best chance is tomorrow at 60%. On Tuesday the front should move a little further south so the chance for rain is 30%. With mostly cloudy skies and more rainfall expected, highs should be in the mid to upper 80s. That is if we get some sunshine. If we only have clouds and rain, we probably won't get that warm.

We warm things back up a little bit for Wednesday through Friday with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Partly cloudy skies are expected as well as a 20% chance for some isolated showers and thunderstorms.

It looks like another cold front may make into the area next weekend cooling our temperatures back down and continuing our chance for rain.

Hurricane Ernesto is now Tropical Storm Ernesto according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. It is very near the southwestern tip of Haiti and about 140 miles south-southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba. Maximum sustained winds are 50 mph and is expected to strengthen, possibly to hurricane status, before reaching Cuba.
The latest path projection takes it over Cuba before reaching the Florida Keys on Tuesday. We'll continue to keep you updated on this storm.

Have a magnificent Monday!

Friday, August 25, 2006

Friday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was another day of above average temperatures as everyone in the Big Country was at or above 100. For the second straight day at Abilene Regional Aiport we tied a record high. This afternoon we reached 104. A few isolated showers and thunderstorms developed in Haskell and Throckmorton counties.

Tomorrow looks to be another hot day with highs in the upper 90s to a little over 100 thanks to that upper level high pressure ridge that will still be in control. There is a slight chance that we could see a few isolated showers and storms in the afternoon.

Changes should begin on Sunday as a cold front approaches the area. This will increase our chance of rain to 30%. Since the front probably won't arrive until late in the day, highs look to make it into the mid to upper 90s.

That cold front should move through the viewing area on Monday and stall just to our south through the middle of the week. Our best chance of rain looks to be on Monday at 40%. We will gradually decrease rain chances through the rest of the work week. With quite a bit of cloud cover around as well as rain and some cooler air, highs are expected to be in the upper 80s to low 90s for the first half of next week.

Looking at the tropics, Tropical Storm Debby is expected to stay out in the Atlantic Ocean and not affect the U.S. mainland. Tropical Depression 5 has strengthened and become Tropical Storm Ernesto. The latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center has it located about 600 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. There are tropical storm watches in effect for Jamaica and parts of Haiti. Maximum sustained winds are 40 mph with some strengthening possible over the next couple of days. The latest path projection has it in the Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday so this is a storm that we will have to keep an eye on.

Have a super Saturday!

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was another very hot day across the Big Country as highs ranged from 99 to 106. Some isolated showers and thunderstorms were able to develop around mid-afternoon. All of the rain pretty much came to an end once we began to lose the daytime heating.

Friday and Saturday look to be very similar to today with highs at or above 100 across much of the area. This is due to the upper level high pressure ridge sitting over the state. A few stray showers and storms can't be ruled out when there is enough heat and moisture in place. Therefore, the chance for rain the next couple of days is slight.

A weak cold front should still make it into or close to the region by Sunday. It looks to remain stalled in the area through the middle of next week. The chance for rain Sunday through Wednesday is 20% to 30% with the best shot being on Monday and Tuesday. With the possiblity of rainfall and a little more cloud cover, highs look to be in the mid 90s.

Tropical Storm Debby continues to move west-northwestward through the Atlantic Ocean. According to the latest path projection from the National Hurricane Center, it looks to remain in the ocean and not threaten the U.S. at this time.

Tropical Depression Number 5 developed this afternoon. According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center it is 455 miles south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its maximum sustained winds are 35 mph with strengthening projected during the next 24 hours. When and if it strengthens to tropical storm status, its name will be Ernesto. The latest path projection has it off the western coast of Cuba by Tuesday. We will continue to keep you updated on this storm.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Showers and thunderstorms developed over parts of the Big Country again today thanks to the remnants of a stationary front. Despite the rain and cloud cover that developed across the area we still managed to have highs in the upper 90s to 104.

The upper level high pressure ridge that has been around the region this week should take over Thursday through Saturday pretty much bringing an end to our rain chances. A stray shower or storm can't be completely ruled out, but the chance is slight. We should still see partly cloudy skies the next three days and highs around 100.

It still looks like a weak cold front will be close to or possibly in the Big Country Sunday and then stall into early next week. This will help increase our rain chances to 20% for isolated showers and storms. Highs will likely be in the mid to upper 90s.

We have our fourth storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical Storm Debby is about 610 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands according to the latest statement from the National Hurricane Center. Its maximum sustained winds are 45 mph and some strengthening is possible over the next 24 hours. The storm will continue to make its way west-northwestward across the Atlantic Ocean through the end of the week. We'll continue to keep you updated on this storm.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Tuesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We saw more showers and thunderstorms in the area today, but not before most of the Big Country was able to see highs in the upper 90s to a little over 100. The rain was mainly isolated, so not everyone was able to cool down.

More isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible tomorrow because the stationary front, or what is left of it, will still be around and outflow boundaries from today's activity should be roaming the area too. The chance for rain is 20% so not everyone will see rain. Skies look to be partly cloudy with highs in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

The upper level high pressure ridge that has been across much of the state lately should take over for Thursday through Saturday. A stray shower or storm can't be completely ruled out, but the chance is less than slight. Highs should be right around 100.

It still looks like another weak cold front may try to move close to the Big Country by Sunday and hang around early next week. The chance for rain increases to slight to 20% during this time period because of this. Highs may cool down into the mid 90s depending on how far south the front gets and how much cloud cover and rain we get.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, August 21, 2006

Monday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The above average temperatures continued across much of the Big Country today despite the partly to mostly cloudy skies that developed this afternoon. Just about everyone reached the upper 90s to a little over 100 for a high. Snyder was one of the exceptions with a high of 91 thanks to some afternoon rain.

A stationary front should linger in the area for a few more days keeping the chance for rain in the forecast. An upper level disturbance may move close enough to us on Wednesday to cause some rain as well. Despite having these lifting mechanisms in the region, the showers and thunderstorms will be mainly isolated. The reason for this is the upper level high pressure ridge that continues to be across much of the state. The chance for rain the next couple of days is 20%. Highs will likely be in the upper 90s.

A stray shower or storm can't be ruled out Thursday and Friday, but the chance is less than slight. Highs should be in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

A weak cold front may move close to the Big Country late Saturday and linger into early next week. The chance for rain is slight to 20% for now, but that could increase or decrease as we get closer to that time period. Highs look to be in the mid to upper 90s.

Even though we may see some rain this week, it should be isolated and not enough to lessen the fire danger that remains for us. Also, take care of yourself if you are going to be out in the heat. Be sure you are taking breaks inside in the air conditioning or the shade. Drink plenty of water too.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Slim Chance For Rain This Week

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had another hot day across the Big Country as highs reached the mid 90s to a little over 100. A few small isolated showers and thunderstorms fired up late this afternoon and evening, but they died out about as fast as they formed.

A weak cold front should stay stalled just north of the area for the next couple of days. This means the slight chance for isolated showers and storms will continue. The northern communties will have the best chance to see the rainfall. Highs are expected to be in the upper 90s.

An upper level high pressure ridge will take over from there and remain in control for Wednesday through Sunday. Highs should be in the upper 90s to a little over 100. A stray shower or storm can't be completely ruled out during this time period, but the chance is less than slight.

Have a magnificent Monday!

Friday, August 18, 2006

Friday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had a very hot day across the Big Country as highs were in the upper 90s to a little over 100 which is above average for this time of year. A few isolated showers and thunderstorms formed in Brown, Coleman, and Runnels counties but they were very short-lived.

An upper level high pressure ridge should remain in control across the region tomorrow keeping us hot and mainly dry. A stray storm isn't out of the question, but the chance of rain is less than slight. Highs should remain in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

A weak cold front looks to make it as far south as the Red River this weekend before stalling out. With the front hanging around into early next week as well as an upper level disturbance affecting the area, there is a slight chance of rain for Sunday through Wednesday. During this time period, we can expect partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid to upper 90s.

Have a super Saturday!

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Most of the Big Country was very hot today with temperatures at or above 100. The exception was in the western portions of the viewing area where highs were in the low 90s due to afternoon thunderstorms.

An upper level high pressure ridge should continue to build into the rest of the region tomorrow bringing an end to rain chances except in the far western counties where a stray storm can't be ruled out. Highs Friday and Saturday should be in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

A weak cold front and upper level disturbance could affect the area Sunday through Wednesday so there is a slight chance of rain each of those days. With a little more cloud cover we can expect temperatures to cool down a little bit. Highs should be in the mid to upper 90s.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had quite the temperature range across the Big Country today. The western portions dealt with mostly cloudy skies and rainfall so high temperatures only made it into the 80s. In the central portions highs made it into the 90s before clouds and a few isolated showers and thunderstorms built in during the afternoon. The eastern and southeastern portions only had partly cloudy skies and no rainfall so highs were in the triple digits.

An upper level high pressure ridge is expected to continue building westward tomorrow. This will bring an end to our rain chances across most of the area. The western communities will still have a slight chance of an isolated storm. Highs should reach the upper 90s to around 100 under partly cloudy skies.

Friday and Saturday look to be hot and dry with highs in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

There is still a 20% chance for rain on Sunday through Tuesday due to a weak cold front that may make it just far enough south. The upper level low that looked to be moving close to the region looks to be too far south to really affect us. With a little more cloud cover and rain possible during this time period, highs should cool down into the mid 90s.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Tuesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had quite a bit of cloud cover hang around the Big Country today. That made temperatures cooler just about everywhere except in our southeastern communities, which managed to make it around 100 this afternoon. Scattered showers and thunderstorms moved through the viewing area bringing quite a bit of rainfall to some locations. The western portions of Scurry county had over two inches according to Doppler radar estimates. At Abilene Regional Airport, there was only 0.03" recorded.

With the upper level low expected to remain in the region tonight and tomorrow, the 20% chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms continues. We should see a little more sunshine on Wednesday so highs will likely be in the mid to upper 90s with a few places like Brownwood and Comanche reaching 100. If we see a lot of cloud cover like today, temperatures will be cooler.

An upper level high pressure ridge should build into the area by Thursday bringing an end to our chance for rain through Saturday. Highs during this time period should be in the upper 90s to a little over 100.

Some computer models continue to indicate the possibility of more rainfall for the second half of the weekend and early next week. Basically the same situation that that happened over the past few days could be setting up again. For now the chance for rain is 20%, but that could increase. High temperatures will likely cool down into the mid 90s if this scenario pans out.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, August 14, 2006

The Chance For Rainfall Continues

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Most of the Big Country had quite a bit of cloud cover today and that helped to cool highs down into the low to mid 90s. There were a few locations like Brownwood and Comanche that still managed to make it around 100 for a high. Portions of the area also got some rainfall this afternoon and evening. The main reason for our isolated showers and thunderstorms today was the upper level low that has been to our south. It moved northward towards us instead of northwest away from us because the upper level high pressure ridge didn't build in as previously thought.

A 20% chance of rainfall continues tonight and tomorrow due to the upper level low still spinning in the area and a cold front approaching from the north. This weak cold front should stall just south of the Red River later tonight and remain there into tomorrow. We should see just as much cloud cover on Tuesday that we saw today. Highs will likely be in the mid to upper 90s.

With the cold front expected to lift northward by Wednesday and the upper level low pushing to the west, rain chances look to be slight. The western communities will have the best shot of showers and storms. Highs should still remain in the mid to upper 90s.

The upper level high pressure ridge is expected to build into the entire area by Thursday bringing an end to our rainfall chances for a little while. Highs look to be in the upper 90s to around 100.

Some computer models are indicating another upper level low moving into the state at the end of this week and early next week. For now, there is a slight chance of rain during that time. Expect highs to drop a little bit due to more cloud cover and possibily some rain.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Sunday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was a hot and muggy afternoon with highs mainly in the mid to upper 90s across the Big Country. We did have some rain in the area. This morning there was some shower activity in the western portions. This afternoon we had a few isolated thunderstorms fire up. The bulk of the activity was in Taylor county near Abilene. The airport picked up 0.11" from the storms.

With a cold front approaching the region from the north tomorrow and a few outflow boundaries lingering around, there is a 20% chance of more isolated showers and thunderstorms tomorrow. The best chance will be in the northern communities because of the proximity to the front which is expected to stall around the Red River. With a little more cloud cover tomorrow, highs are expected to be in the mid to upper 90s.

A slight chance of rain continues on Tuesday with partly cloudy skies and highs remaining in the mid to upper 90s.

A weak upper level high pressure ridge should build in by Wednesday and hold through the rest of the work week pushing highs back into the upper 90s. With most of the area expected to remain dry and hot afternoon temperatures, the fire danger will remain elevated this week.

Have a magnificent Monday!

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Saturday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed across the area today. A few of the storms did reach severe limits in Callahan, Jones, and Taylor counties with penny size hail and winds in excess of 60 mph. All of the rain has pretty much come to an end this evening, but a stray shower or storm could pop up overnight.

The chance for more scattered showers and storms continues tomorrow and early next week due to several factors. One, outflow boundaries from the previous day's activity should be in the area. Second, an upper level low to our south-southwest will likely send a few disturbances our direction. Last, a cold front looks to get close to the area just to our north on Monday. Overall our chance for rain will be 20% to 30% through Tuesday. Our highs during this time period will be dependent on how much cloud cover we receive and when the rainfall occurs. We should be able to get highs in the mid to upper 90s.

An upper level high pressure ridge will likely build back into the area by Wednesday bringing an end to our rain chances and sending our temperatures back up.

Have a spectacular Sunday!

Friday, August 11, 2006

Friday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Despite more cloud cover, we had another very hot day as temperatures reached 97 to 106 across the Big Country. It did feel muggy with dewpoints in the mid 50s to mid 60s. Isolated showers and thunderstorms developed in the area thanks to a low pressure trough and outflow boundaries left over from yesterday's storm activity to our north.

We will continue to see a 20% chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms this weekend and early next week. The reasons for the possibility of rain are outflow boundaries from the previous day's activity and an upper level low that will be stalled to our southwest. With more cloud cover and some rain expected in the region, highs should only make it into the mid to upper 90s.

An upper level high pressure ridge builds back into the area by the middle of next week bringing our rain chances to an end and pushing our temperatures back up.

Have a super Saturday!

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The sizzling heat continued today as highs ranged from 99 to 105 across the Big Country. Dewpoints were in the mid 50s to mid 60s through the day so it felt a little uncomfortable.

It looks like we can expect a repeat of today for tomorrow as highs should climb above 100. The only difference will be a little more cloud cover. The fire danger remains elevated tomorrow so please be very careful. Also, continue to take care of yourself with the amount of heat that is anticipated.

An upper level low will likely bring more cloud cover and the chance for rain to the area this weekend and early next week. Highs should cool down into the mid to upper 90s. The chance for rain this weekend is slight, but increases to 20% for Monday and Tuesday.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We saw a return to the triple digit heat for much of the Big Country today. No rainfall developed in the area and there was a little less cloud cover.

The blazing heat will continue through Saturday due to an upper level high pressure ridge that is in control over the area. Highs should remain in the upper 90s to a little over 100. With low relative humidity values expected as well as breezy conditions at times, the fire danger will be elevated for the rest of the work week and the first half of the weekend. Everyone needs to be very cautious and not do things like burn trash or throw cigarettes on the ground or from their vehicle. Also, don't park or drive cars on grassy surfaces. Hot engine blocks could cause a fire. Be sure you are taking care of yourself in the heat too. Take breaks indoors or in the shade. Also, drink plenty of water.

We may see temperatures cool back down to the mid 90s for highs by early next week due to more cloud cover and possibly some rain. This is due to another upper level low moving into Texas from the Gulf of Mexico. For now the chance for rain is slight, but that could increase as we get closer to that time period.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Tuesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Isolated showers and thunderstorms developed across portions of the Big Country this afternoon. They were mainly north of Interstate 20. A little more cloud cover kept most of the Big Country a few degrees cooler, but there were a few places like Brownwood and Comanche that managed to make it above 100.

Our chance for rain become less than slight Wednesday through Saturday as an upper level high pressure ridge takes control across the area. This will push highs in the Big Country to around and even above 100 through the first half of the weekend.

Some of the computer models continue to indicate the possibility of another upper level low moving across Florida and the Gulf of Mexico before arriving in Texas on Sunday. With this being a similar scenario to what happened this week, there is a slight chance for rain beginning late Sunday and staying with us through the beginning of next week. Highs should cool down a little bit as well into the the mid to upper 90s. We'll continue to keep you updated on this next chance of rain.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, August 07, 2006

Monday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had scattered showers and thunderstorms develop across the Big Country again this afternoon and evening. This was due to a disturbance that was in the eastern portions of the state. Despite partly cloudy skies and some rain in parts of the viewing area, highs still managed to make it into the upper 90s for most of us.

The disturbance that brought us some rainfall today will be moving across the area later tonight and tomorrow. This means our chance for rainfall will continue, but only at 20%. Most of the activity should be isolated. With more cloud cover and rainfall possible, highs should be a little cooler tomorrow in the mid 90s.

An upper level high pressure ridge takes over on Wednesday and dominates through the rest of the week giving us dry conditions again. Highs should be right around 100 from midweek through the weekend.

Our next chance of rain may come early next week with the possiblity of another disturbance in the area. That chance right now is slight, but could increase as we get closer to that time period.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Friday, August 04, 2006

Friday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The above average temperatures continued across most of the Big Country as highs were mainly in the upper 90s. We haven't seen nearly as much rainfall today in the area as we had earlier this week. The upper level low that has been the culprit for the activity the last couple of days is moving away into New Mexico.

The weekend looks to be hot and dry. The upper level high pressure ridge that has weakened enough this week to give us a chance for rainfall should restrengthen Saturday and Sunday keeping our highs in the upper 90s to 100. It should feel a bit muggy with dewpoints likely in the mid 50s to mid 60s range.

Another upper level low is expected to arrive in Texas on Monday. This one looks to move a little closer to the viewing area. For now, I'm going with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms on Monday and a 20% chance of rain on Tuesday. With more cloud cover expected and possibly some rainfall, highs should fall back into the mid 90s.

The high pressure ridge should take hold once again for the second half of the work week pushing highs back into the upper 90s. Dry conditions are expected Wednesday through Friday right now.

Looking at the tropics, Chris has been downgraded to a tropical depression with sustained winds of 30 mph. According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, it continues to move west towards Cuba. There is a chance Chris could dissipate tomorrow. We'll continue to keep you updated with this storm.

Have a super Saturday!

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Most of us continued with the very hot afternoons as highs were mainly in the mid 90s to around 100. Dewpoints today were in the mid 50 to mid 60s so it felt a little muggy. We also had isolated showers and thunderstorms move through the western and northern portions of the viewing area.

It looks like the upper level high pressure ridge will continue to dominate our weather for much of the next seven days keeping our highs mainly in the upper 90s. We do have a couple of chances for rainfall. There is a 20% chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms tomorrow due to the weak cold front washing out to our north around the Red River. Also, there is an upper level low that should hang around southwest Texas through tomorrow which could send some rain our way. Our other chance for rainfall comes on Monday and Tuesday. There is an upper level low off the coast of Florida that is expected to cross the state and the Gulf of Mexico before arriving in south Texas Monday. Right now our chance for rain early next week is 20%, but that could change as we approach that time period.

As I write this, Tropical Storm Chris is barely a tropical storm. Wind shear and dry air have weakened the storm. Chris could become a tropical depression later tonight or tomorrow. Sustained winds are 40 mph according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. It continues to move westward and is 165 miles east-southeast of Grand Turk Island. We'll keep you updated on this storm.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Above average temperatures continued today with highs mainly in the upper 90s to a little over 100 across the Big Country. Dewpoints stayed mainly in the upper 50s to mid 60s making it feel muggy. Showers and thunderstorms once again rolled through parts of the western portions of the viewing area.

The upper level high pressure ridge will be in control for much of the next seven days keeping our high temperatures mainly in the upper 90s. We do have a 20% chance of rain for Thursday and Friday due to a weak cold front possibly making it as far south as the Red River. This means that the northern communities have the best shot at seeing some rain, but it can't be ruled out area wide. There is a slight chance of rain for us on Monday and Tuesday due to a disturbance that may be in south Texas during that time. It looks like the southern communities would have the best shot at rainfall on those days.

Tropical Storm Chris is continuing to make its way westward across the Atlantic Ocean. It is north of St. Thomas right now and looks to move towards Cuba through the end of the week. Sustained winds are 60 mph according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. We'll continue to keep you updated on the latest with this storm.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Tuesday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was another hot afternoon for us as highs reached 95 to 102 across the Big Country. Dewpoints were up a little further from yesterday so it felt a little more muggy. Scurry and Mitchell counties were able to see some rainfall late this afternoon and evening. There is a slight chance of more showers and thunderstorms in our western communities again tomorrow.

An upper level high pressure ridge will continue to remain in control of the area for much of the next seven days. This will keep our highs in the upper 90s to around 100. The ridge looks to weaken though over the next few days. This could allow a weak cold front to make it as far south as the Red River. Our rain chances will increase due to the front being that close and outflow boundaries moving into the area from thunderstorms caused by the front. Right now, that chance for rain is 20%.

We have our third named storm of the 2006 hurricane season. Tropical Storm Chris currently has 60 mph winds and is located 50 miles north of Barbuda in the Leeward Islands. The latest path projection puts it between Florida and Cuba on Sunday. We'll continue to keep you updated on the latest with this storm throughout the week.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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