5:45 p.m., Sunday, November 27th, 2005

From meteorologist Jason Myers......


A messy day for traveling with wind gusts ranging from 40 to 50 mph across the Big Country. The high winds are the result of a tight pressure gradient due to a strong low pressure system that is moving across the Great Plains of the U.S. There is a cold front with this low pressure system that moved across the Big Country in the early afternoon hours. This cold front will bring temperatures down 10 to 20 degrees from what they were on Saturday. Morning low temperatures on Monday will be in the lower 30s so take the jacket with you. Monday's high will only reach 59 degrees for Abilene, so it will be much cooler than what we've seen lately for a high temperature. Low temperatures Monday night into Tuesday morning will drop below the freezing mark for much of the Big Country due to clear skies and light winds aiding in radiational cooling, and cold air in place.
Another cold front will approach the Big Country on Thursday with highs falling back down into the upper 50s for Thursday and Friday.
Due to dry air in place, there will not be any significant chances for rain.

On a side note, tropical storm Delta is close to reaching hurricane status with winds at 70 mph. Delta is about 600 miles west of Africa heading to the northeast at 26 mph. Here's the latest from the National Hurricane Center:

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH...110 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WEAKENING IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS DELTA LOSES TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OVER COOLER WATERS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES...220 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 982 MB...29.00 INCHES. REPEATING THE 5 PM AST POSITION...29.0 N... 28.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 26 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 70 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 982 MB.

Have a great week and be careful driving tonight.