Friday Night Update

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Warm temperatures and mostly to partly cloudy skies were with us once again here in the Big Country. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed and moved through Knox, Stonewall, Haskell, Throckmorton, Stephens, Eastland, Comanche, Shackelford, Callahan and Jones counties. There were reports of nickel, quarter, and golf ball size hail. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is developing to our west and northwest and should move through portions of the area overnight.

We will have a 30% chance or rain during the day this weekend and a 40% to 50% chance at night. Moisture will remain in place Saturday and Sunday. Instability is going to be provided by warm afternoon temperatures. Highs look to reach the mid to upper 80s. Lifting mechanisms will include upper level disturbances, outflow boundaries from the previous day's thunderstorm activity and an approaching cold front. The reason our chance will be a little better at night is due to our northwest flow aloft. It is likely that some of the shower and thunderstorm activity that develops towards the panhandle will make it into the Big Country during the overnight hours. We could see some severe thunderstorms this weekend with the main threats being large hail and damaging winds. A few isolated tornadoes can't be completely ruled out. As always, we will keep a close eye on any storms that develop.

The chance for rain continues Monday and Tuesday, but at 20%. We could still see some showers and thunderstorms due to the same lifting mechanisms that will be here this weekend. Highs should be in the mid to upper 80s.

We are still expecting an upper level high pressure ridge to move into the area on Wednesday. This will cause our high temperatures to heat up into the low 90s for the second half of the work week.

On a side note, today is the first day of the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We have a new tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico named Barry. It is expected to remain at tropical storm strength as it makes its way through Florida the first half of the weekend. Barry should weaken to a tropical depression as it moves along the Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina coastline during the second half of the weekend. This area desperately needs rain and Barry should help out with their rainfall deficit.

Have a wonderful weekend!