Very Warm & Windy Today:

*** Red Flag Warning for areas along and north of Interstate 20 today from Noon until 6:00 PM ***

*** Lake Wind Advisory for the Big Country area lakes north of Interstate 20 until 6:00 PM ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Unseasonably warm weather is expectd today with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s with mostly sunny day conditions. The record high for Abilene today is 93° and we're going to be pretty close to that high by afternoon. Temperatures drop back down into the middle to upper 70sover the weekend and eventually into the 70s early next week, but we are still well above the average daytime hight which is around 66° for early March.

* Fire Threat: Red Flag Waring & Lake Wind Advisory in effect today. Winds will be up today as the trough continues to still sit off just to our west. This will increase winds out of the south and southwest this week, not to mention bring unseasonably warm weather back to the area. Most areas are between an inch and a half to two inches below normal on rainfall for the year.

* Rain Chances: Model runs still showing a chance for storms late Saturday and into early Sunday, mainly from Abilene and eastward. It still looks that will transition to a southwesterly flow next week, which should bring some upper level disturbances across and hopefully spark some isolated storm. I'm still keeping a slight chance in my forecast package for Monday and Tuesday.

* Time Change: Don't forget we all have to spring forward one hour early Sunday morning at 2:00 AM. It's time once again for us to go back into Daylight Saving Time. Also don't forget to change out the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Have a great Thursday...

Slight Chance for Rain

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Don't get your hopes too high, but at least we have a slight 20 percent chance for storms in our forecast from late Saturday through early Sunday morning. The areas which stand the best chance to see scattered storms are from Abilene eastward. The western Big Country won't likely see any storms.

While our weather pattern is evolving into a more favorable situation for us, I hesitate to increase the chance for rain past 20 percent at this time.

Temperatures remain warm, near 90 Thursday, near 82 Friday, near 75 both Saturday and Sunday, near 80 Monday, upper 60's Tuesday and upper 50's next Wednesday.

We also have a very slight chance for thunderstorms on Monday and Monday night.

A strong cold front next Tuesday will likely take away our moisture and return us to a drier pattern again.

So, keep your fingers crossed for some hit and miss storms this weekend.

Same Weather Story, Different Day...

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Unseasonably warm weather is here to stay for the next seven days it seems based on the new data this morning. Today and tomorrow look to be warmest days with highs in the upper 80s and lower 90s with mostly sunny days and mostly clear nights. Temperatures drop back down into the lower 80s over the weekend and eventually into the 70s early next week, but we are still well above the average daytime hight which is around 66° for early March.

* Fire Threat: Winds will be up today as the trough continues to sharpens just to our west. This will increase winds out of the south and southwest this week, not to mention bring unseasonably warm weather back to the area. Most areas are between an inch and a half to two inches below normal on rainfall for the year.

* Rain Chances: The model runs this morning are looking a bit better for rain chances this weekend and into early next week. We could see some isolated storms late Saturday to develop along a dryline and then the upper air flow will bring upper level disturbances across West Texas early next week so I've added a 20% chance for rain from late Saturday into Tuesday in my forecast package for this morning.

* Time Change: Don't forget we all have to spring forward one hour early Sunday morning at 2:00 AM. It's time once again for us to go back into Daylight Saving Time. Also don't forget to change out the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Have a great Wednesday...

Thunderstorms? Really?

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Before I get to weather, it's time for "Shameless Station Promotion". Today, my fellow KRBCers - Downing Bolls, Kyna Grigsby and Michelle Dapper, set out on a mission.

The mission is to eat for five days with only $15 to spend. That's right. You'll be seeing more about our adventure on our newscasts - but we're all committed to 1) surviving and 2) helping one another survive. It should be fun. But I can tell you right now, when five days are over, I'm headed to my favorite steak house, cause steak sure isn't on the menu right now!!

Now to the weather. Warm, windy and dry through Friday. Yuck! Same old stuff.

But, we have changes on the horizon. Gulf moisture makes a return Friday, Friday night and Saturday - some of that warm, humid air that leaves the smell of moisture in the air on Spring mornings! You'll notice and feel the difference.

Moisture is something we've obviously lacked all winter, so now that it's back, what will "ignite" it for some rain. We have a little jetstream energy coming our way late Saturday and Saturday night, and a dryline in the area, so that should help develop at least a few storms.

Then, next Monday night or Tuesday, another system brings a slight chance for storms.

While the long term pattern is drier than normal and warmer than normal, at least we should start seeing occasional chances for storms as we enter the severe weather season.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny with gusty south wind, highs in the low to middle 80's.

Thursday: Mostly sunny and windy, highs in the upper 80's to low 90's.

Friday: Partly cloudy, highs around 80, continued windy.

Saturday: Slight chance for late day storms, highs near 80.

Another Warm & Windy Late Winter Day:

** Red Flag Warning in effect for Taylor, Nolan, Callahan, Jones, Fisher, Shackelford, Coke, Runnels, Throckmorton, and Haskell from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM. ***

*** Red Flag Warning in effect for Stephens, Eastland, and Comanche County from
11:00 AM - 8:00 PM ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Unseasonably warm weather is back in the forecast for the next couple of days are were are anticipating upper 80s and low 90s by midweek across the area. In fact, temperatures look to say above normal in the 70s and 80s across the area the next seven days. A few high clouds will work through the area today and tonight. Highs today will approach 80 and tonight we will drop into the low to middle 50s.

* Fire Threat: Red Flag Warnings in effect for later today across the area. Winds will be picking up as a trough develops and sharpens just to our west. This will increase winds out of the south and southwest this week, not to mention bring unseasonably warm weather back to the area. Most areas are now between an inch and a half to two inches below normal on rainfall for the year.

* Rain Chance: Forecast models this morning are still hinting at a small rain chance for Sunday across the Big Country. I think this will be another setup where the eastern counties will have the better chance than the rest of the area. (For now I will say Abilene and eastward) At least someone is hopeful of some rainfall. Other than this, there is no other rain in the forecast.

* 90-Day Outlook: Not so good news from the U.S. Government Forecasters for the spring months. NOAA predicts that the drought will persists into March, April and May and that we stand a good chance of below average rainfall. (Note: these are usually our wetter months)

* Time Change: Don't forget we all have to spring forward one hour early Sunday morning at 2:00 AM. It's time once again for us to go back into Daylight Saving Time. Also don't forget to change out the batteries in the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Agonizing Drought Continues

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

I went to the tire store this morning for my regular tire rotation (which I can't believe I remembered). Four people ask me the same question. "When is it going to rain?"

I have one very slight chance for rain in my seven day forecast, this coming Sunday. In fact, I hesitated putting it in there but hey, close enough for me, I'll take anything at this point.

The overall pattern is a killer for rain through Thursday, but the pattern changes a little from Friday through the weekend, still not what we need to make it rain around here.

By Friday or so you should notice more moisture in the air but without some type of front, dryline or low to lift the moisture, it does us no good.

I'll keep monitoring and mention anything new I see here on the blog.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, a few high clouds, low near 40. South wind 5 to 15.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny and 77. Southeast wind 15 to 25.

Wednesday: Sun and 85.

Thursday: Sun and 90.

Friday: Partly cloudy and 78.

Saturday and Sunday: Partly cloudy, around 80.

Warming Trend Ahead:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* After a chilly weekend, highs will be warmer today into the lower 70s across the area with a southerly breezy by afternoon and a few high clouds from time to time. It will be a bit warmer tonight as most spots should only dip into the lower to middel 40s, still with just a few clouds.

* Fire Threat: Winds will be picking up as a trough develops and sharpens just to our west. This will increase winds out of the south and southwest this week, not to mention bring unseasonably warm weather back to the area. Most areas are now between an inch and a half to two inches below normal on rainfall for the yea.

* Rain Chance: The long-range forecast models have been hinted on the last couple of runs of a small chance for rain for the later half of the upcoming weekend on Sunday. For now the chance looks small but anything is better than nothing.

Warming Trend Begins Monday

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

After a chilly weekend, temperatures will rebound to around 70 Monday, low 80's by Wednesday, near 90 by Thursday, before dropping back to around 80 going into the weekend.

I don't have any cool temperatures (like we experienced over the weekend) in the forecast for the next seven days.

I also don't have any rain in the forecast through Saturday, but went ahead and slipped in a slight 10% chance next Sunday - but confidence in this scenario playing out is very low at this time.

Wildfire danger will remain high this week as gusty wind returns Monday and will be a daily concern.

Record Warmth & High Wildfire Threat:

*** Red Flag Warning for Taylor, Nolan, Jones, Fisher, Mitchell, Scurry, Throckmorton, Haskell, Stonewall, and Knox County from Noon until 6:00 PM this evening. ***

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Record Warmth: Forecast highs will climb today into the lower and middle 90s which is about 20 to 25° above normal for late February. The record high today for Abilene is 89° which was set back in 1917. I do expect we will set a new record today.

* Fire Threat: Gusty southwest winds will blow across the area today bring critial to extreme wildfire danger to the area. As mentioned above a red flag warning is in effect for areas of the Big Country this afternoon and early evening.

* Cooling Trend Ahead: A decent cold front will move through late tonight and bring much cooler weather for Friday and into the weekend. Temperatures will be about 30° cooler on Friday than forecasted today. Also cool over the weekend with upper 50s and lower 60s.


* Next Week: Get ready for another developing warming trend for next week with highs back in the 70s and 80s. No rain is seen in the extended periods.

* Quick Note: San Angelo NWS will conduct a practice tornado warning drill this morning at 9:30 AM as part of Texas Severe Weather Awareness Week.

Have a nice Thursday...

Hot Then Cold Then Warm

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

We (the KRBC Weather Team) have been working on a severe weather special called "Weathering the Storm" to be broadcast in March. I'll let you know the date as soon as we know. We worked on a portion of it today in the studio and had some good fun.

After that, it was time to forecast and what I ended up with, I didn't necessarily like. I didn't like it because there was no rain in the forecast, again, for the next seven days. But, what I did find was this:

Thursday will be hot, around 92 for a high with a westerly wind at 15 to 25.

Thursday Night will be cooler, thanks to a cold front, low near 48. North wind 10 to 20.

Friday will be much cooler than Thursday, about 62 for the high.

Saturday and Sunday highs will be around the 60 mark, with some reinforcing cool air dropping in.

Early next week, a warming trend, with highs back in the 70's by Monday and the 80's Tuesday and Wednesday.

I'll keep looking for rain. Thanks for reading my blog.

Randy

Another Tease Of Summer Weather:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* This Is Late Winter? We should normally be sitting in the lower 60s for highs but we sure did get a taste of summer on Tuesday across the area. Abilene officially reached 90° which was close to the record of 91° from 1918. Would you believe Breckenridge was the warmest spot we could find in the Big Country reaching 95°!

* Another Warm Day: Winds will not be so back so temperatures should be a few degrees cooler but still unseasonably warm into the middle and upper 80s. A few high clouds will work in from the west during the day so we should see partly cloudy conditions later in the day. A very mild night tonight with lows into the middle 50s with a few clouds.

* Thursday: Winds will pick back up tomorrow so temperatures will climb back in the lower 90s across the area. We are expecting a cold front overnight Thursday and we normally see a really warm day ahead of a decent front to most spots will be in the lower to middle 90s. I'm forecasting a high tomorrow of 92. (One forecast model (NAM) is going 97!)

* Weekend: Above mentioned cold front will bring cooler air for Friday and the weekend as highs drop back to where they should be in the upper 50s and lower 60s with some chilly nights into the 30s by late weekend.

* Next Week: Get ready for another developing warming trend for next week with highs back in the 70s and 80s. No rain is seen in the extended periods.

* Quick Note: We have a time change coming up on Sunday, March 8th as we go back to Daylight Saving Time. You may recall Congress and the former President Bush extended daylight saving time a few years ago.

Enjoy your Wednesday...

Whew, It's Hot !!!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

If temperatures today are a sign of things to come, I shiver to think how hot it may be this summer around here. Abilene's temperature at 2pm today was 90 degrees, just one degree away from the record of 91 which dates back to 1918. It's entirely possible that we'll tie or perhaps break the record, we'll know by about 5:30pm today when the official report is issued.

In case you are wondering, the normal high for today's date is 63.

The next two days will be close to this warm, with my forecast highs being 87 on Wednesday and 90 on Thursday.

The next cold front is Thursday night which will drop our afternoon highs close to 65 degrees for Friday, very close to normal for this time of year.

Another cold front is due Saturday night which means Sunday, with a high near 60, may turn out to be the coolest day of the next seven.

Rain isn't in my forecast at this time, although one model hinted at bringing showers up from the south Sunday night, although confidence in that is very low at this time. I'll leave the forecast a dry one.

This Is Late Winter?

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* We should normally be seeing high temperatures into the lower 60s for the end of February but it is going to see like late May or June out there today with highs climbing into the upper 80s and a few spots in the lower 90s today across West Central Texas. High pressure off to our east and a strong low pressure to our west are pulling a strong pressure gradient across the Big Country which simply means windy conditions today. Those south/southwest winds are the reason it's going to be so warm today. A few high clouds are possibly today across the area. Tonight we drop into the lower 50s with a few upper 40s but still breezy.

* Another very warm day tomorrow with middle to upper 80s and still into the lower to middle 80s on Thursday. A cold front will arrive overnight Thursday/early Friday cooling us back into the 60s for highs over the weekend before another slight warming trend early next week.

* Rainfall Outlook: Not Good... We remain about a inch and a half below normal for the year and as you can see above on the graphical rain breakdown over the last several months, not much has happened as far as rain goes since October of last year. All of the area remains under severe stage drought conditons according to the NOAA Climate Data. Extreme drought can be found along the Colorado River in the Heartland.

Have a great day...

Wow, It's Warm !!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

Several weather stories going on now, none helpful in terms of bring us rain.

First, gusty wind persists Tuesday into Wednesday, leading to yet another Fire Weather Watch Tuesday.

Secondly, unusually warm temperatures are forecast Tuesday, into the middle 80's, thanks to a southwest and westerly wind.

Thirdly, the warmth lingers through Friday.

Whether or not a cold front drops our temperatures this weekend is still a question up in the air, in my view. For now, I'm leaving temperatures warm this weekend with no rain in the forecast.

Warm and Windy Weather This Week

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ..

As of early Monday morning, temperatures had only dipped to the upper 40's, thanks to a persistent southerly wind overnight.

The big weather stories this week will continue to be the drought, high wildfire danger, gusty wind and warmer than normal temperatures.

Concerning the dry weather, it doesn't appear any rain relief is on the way anytime soon, no rain in my forecast through the next seven days.

Concerning the high wildfire danger, you know the drill. EVERYDAY is a high wildfire danger day this week.

Concerning the gusty wind, areas of low pressure will keep the wind machine cranked on a daily basis much of this week.

Concerning the temperatures, if you like Spring, you'll love this week's temperatures. In the 70's today (Monday) but in the 80's Tuesday through Thursday.

Sunday night I wrote the next cold front was due Thursday night. But new forecast data Monday morning suggests the front may be delayed, and not as strong, arriving on Friday. Even then, temperatures aren't expected to take much of a plunge, back closer to normal highs and lows for this time of year.

I wished I had better news concerning rain, but the dry pattern continues.

Much Warmer This Week

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

Spring Fever is in the air this week in the Big Country and Heartland. Warm air from the southwest overspreads the area starting with the 70's on Monday with 80's on Tuesday through Thursday.

One cold front this week is expected on Thursday night so Friday will be our coolest day of the week with highs around 60. A warming trend will return for the upcoming weekend.

Rain? I wished I had better news, but I don't. No rain is in my seven day forecast.

Wind? Yes, always, plenty of it this week, especially Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Bottom line - the wildfire danger will persist and temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees above normal most of the week.

High Wildfire Threat Today:

*** Red Flag Warning in effect from 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM for Taylor, Nolan, Mitchell, Scurry, Fisher, Jones, Callahan, Shackelford, Eastland, Haskell, Throckmorton, Stonewall, Knox, Stephens, Coke, Runnels, Coleman, Brown & Comanche County. (All of the KRBC Viewing Area)

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Very high fire threat for the area today as gusty southwest winds will bring one of the ingredients for wildfires across the area. Another factor is it will be a very warm day with highs in the middle 70s, not to mention our dry weather pattern continues.

* A cold front will arrive overnight bringing cooler weather for the weekend with highs in the middle to upper 50s. The winds will still be going but out of the north bringing in the cooler air across our area.

* Next Week: Models the last two days have really been pushing a major warming trend for next week with highs in the upper 70s and some spots touching 80 by mid-week. The pattern remains dry and the fire threat high.

Have a great weekend...

Cooler & Less Winds Today:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Much cooler day for the Big Country thanks to a weak cold front that slipped in from the north last night. As I blog this just after 4:00 this morning, temperatures are in the 30s across many areas. Daytime highs today will only climb to near 60° in many locations. Another cool night in the area with lows in the middle 30s. Ample sunshine today and clear conditions are expected overnight.

* A quick warming trend for your Friday as well as the winds picking back up out of the southwest so the fire threat will have to be monitored across the area. A decent cold front will move in Friday night and cool us back down over the weekend with highs near 60° once again with mostly sunny conditions.

* Rain Chances: Still not looking good over the next seven days for the area. We really need some rain as severe to extreme drought conditions are in effect across West Central Texas.

Have a great Thursday...

Not Much Change In The Forecast:

*** Red Flag Warning in effect for Taylor, Nolan, Mitchell, Callahan, Shackelford, Jones, Fisher, Scurry, Stonewall, Haskell, Throckmorton, Coke, Runnels, Coleman, Brown, Stephens, Eastland & Comanche County for Today ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Wildfire threat still a concern today across West Central Texas with the dry conditions and northwesterly winds that will stream across the area today. Fire Weather Watch for most areas with a Red Flag Warning in place for the eastern counties.

* Not much change in the weather. The windy conditions will keep us warm today, but as the winds let up we should see some slightly cooler weather work in there for Thursday before the winds pick back up and warm us up again on Friday. A front Friday night should push some cooler weather back into the area over the weekend.

* Looking Ahead: We begin to warm back up early next week with highs back in the upper 60s and lower 70s. There is no rain chance for the area the next seven days.

Enjoy Your Wednesday...

Extreme Wildfire Threat Today:

*** Red Flag Warning from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM for Taylor, Jones, Shackelford, Haskell, Throckmorton, Knox, Fisher, Nolan & Coke ***

*** Lake Wind Advisory from 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM for Taylor, Jones, Nolan, Haskell ***

*** Fire Weather Watch from Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Evening for all of the Big Country, Hearland & Northern Concho Valley ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Extreme wildfire threat today due to gusty southwest winds and temperatures that will warm quickly into the middle and upper 70s this afternoon. Clouds will begin to decrease as we work into the day and tonight.

* A cold front will arrive this evening and bring slightly cooler air back to the area by Wednesday but the air will modify and warm back up before another cold front on Friday brings another back of cooler air by the weekend. The airmass behind the fronts is not too cold, but it will be cool enough to hold highs in the middle 50s to middle 60s. No rain chances for the next seven days are anticipated.

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Isolated Light Showers Possible

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

The isolated light showers referred to in the title are only around Monday night into Tuesday morning, that's it. I wish I could give you better news, but that's the extent of our rain chances for this week, the way it looks right now.

Looking ahead to Tuesday, it should be considerably warmer, by 25 to 30 degrees, over what we had Monday. Tuesday will also be a very windy day as winds shift into the west during the afternoon and become gusty. This leads to the ever present high wildfire danger.

Windy weather continues into Wednesday as winds shift to the northwest, then to the north behind a front. Wednesday temperatures should be in the 60's but Thursday will be different.

Highs Thursday are forecast only in the 50's. Friday is a brief warming trend back to the 60's but Saturday and Sunday look cooler, similar to last weekend, highs forecast in the 50's.

Freezing temperatures are forecast overnight on Wednesday night and Saturday night so your plants aren't out of danger yet.

I think we still have plenty more shots of cold to go this winter.

Cloudy Start To The Week:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Cloud cover continues to stream along the subtropical jet stream out of the Pacific Ocean, across Northern Mexico and into West Texas and the Big Country this morning. Clouds will stick around all day and into tonight as well. There may be enough moisture to squeeze out an isolated shower in spots but it looks like most of us will be dry today. Temperatures hold in the lower to middle 50s and tonight we only dip into the upper 40s.

* Wildfire Threat: Winds will be on the increase later today and especially tomorrow ahead of a cold front that will move through Texas in the afternoon. We'll have a high wildfire danger thanks to the winds tomorrow. Remember, just about all the counties in our viewing area are under a burn ban.

* Rest of the Week: Windy and Warm Tuesday with 70s before the front sweeps across and the rest of the week going into the weekend looks mostly sunny to partly cloudy with highs in the middle 50s to middle 60s and overnight lows into the 50s. The forecast pattern looks to remain dry.

Have a great Monday...

Isolated Showers Possible Monday

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Skies will remain cloudy through Monday and much of Tuesday. We have a slight chance for light showers developing Monday and Monday night as a weak energy source traverses our area. Don't expect much. Most will miss out entirely.

Temperatures will be up and down this week. Monday is cool with highs in the 50's. Tuesday is probably the warmest day of the week as we shoot up to the middle 70's. Wednesday is pleasant, in the 60's, but Thursday is cold again, in the 50's. The upcoming weekend shouldn't be too bad, not as cold as the weekend we just finished.

Besides the slight chance for rain Monday, the chance for rain doesn't look good and a dry forecast is anticipated Tuesday through Sunday.

Fire weather will increase Tuesday with gusty wind and warm and dry conditions.

Don't forget Storm Spotter Training, coming up this Saturday, February 21st, at Abilene Christian University, starting at 9:00am. This year, it will be a much shorter day for spotters. We'll try to finish up everything by 1pm and call it a day. Basic and advanced training will be held in the morning and we will have a storm chaser speak to the group. This is all free and open to everyone to attend. Storm spotters who routinely provide safety information are urged to attend and brush up, just in time for the Spring storm season. I'll see you there !

Randy

Front Arrives Today:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* From the NWS/San Angelo:

A relatively quiet weather pattern is indicated for our region during the next 7 days. Considerable high cloudiness associated with southern stream upper jet is overspreading our region. Low-level moisture transport is bringing low clouds into the southern third of our counties. The cloudiness is limiting the radiational cooling and fog development looks unlikely. Thus have removed fog from the forecast this morning.

A weak and dry cold front will drop South across West Central Ttexas later today. A reinforcing cold front will push down across our region on Sunday. This should help to keep highs cooler than what we have seen in recent days. Early next week an upper low and trough off the California coast is progged to open into a wave and eject east across the central rockies and into the Central Plains by Tuesday afternoon.

With this setup the surface low is progged to develop in the lee of the Colorado Rockies by Tuesday morning with a surface trough extending south along the Texas/New Mexico border. Surface trough/dryline progged to advance east across west central texas on tuesday. This would bring elevated fire weather conditions with intrusion of much drier air and gusty southwest to west winds. With such weak surface and upper support indicated for our area Monday/Monday night have removed the pops from our eastern counties. At this point looks like a dry forecast into the middle of next week.

Ho-Hum !!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Wind is the story again today into tomorrow, not as high as we saw earlier this week, but breezy nonetheless.

A cold front late in the day Friday will drop our temperatures to around freezing by early Saturday morning. Temperatures this weekend will be cooler than they are now, highs middle 50's on Saturday and near 60 on Sunday.

There is one slim glimmer of hope for rain and that comes with a weak system passing through the area Monday night. Honestly, chances don't look good. I wished I had better news concerning rain, but it just looks dry for the next week.

So, as the title suggests, a rather ho-hum type weather pattern right now. Warm days, then cool days, back to warm to start next week.

Take care !!

Warm and Breezy Thursday

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Mostly clear skies prevail Wednesday night and Thursday across the KRBC viewing area.

We'll see temperatures climb into the low 70's on Thursday but the wind will also increase during the afternoon, from the south, at speeds between 10 and 20 with a few higher gusts.

For those of you making plans for the weekend, dry weather is in store. Friday's high in the middle 60's will be followed by slightly cooler air this weekend, around 60 Saturday and mid 50's to 60 on Sunday.

I'm still including a 20 percent chance for rain and temperatures in the 50's for Monday.

Fire danger remains a concern.

A Quiet Weather Day...

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Winds are starting to let up this morning after a crazy evening yesterday with severe weather in the eastern areas and blowing dust across the rest of the Big Country. This morning it's still a bit breezy but the winds will subside later this morning, generally back down in the 5-10 mile per hour range. According to the NWS data, Abilene had a peak wind gust yesterday of 52 mph and so far since midnight we say a wind gust to 38 miles per hour.

* Sunny and a bit cooler today with highs back in the middle to upper 60s and quiet tonight with lows down in the lower 40s. Tomorrow looks nice but warming back up into the middel 70s as the wind picks back up from the south.

* A cold front will move into the Big Country Friday evening and bring much cooler weather for the Valentines Day weekend with highs on Saturday only into the 50s and lows at night around freezing. Looks like our next small rain chance will be overnight Monday/early Tuesday.

Enjoy your Wednesday...

Extreme Fire Threat & Severe Storms Possible Today:

*** Red Flag Warning for Taylor, Nolan, Jones, Fisher, Coke & Runnels County from 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM ***

*** Wind Advisory for Taylor, Nolan, Jones, Fisher, Coke, Runnels, Haskell & Throckmorton County from 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM ***

*** High Wind Warning for Mitchell & Scurry County until 9:00 PM ***

*** Blowing Dust Advisory for Mitchell & Scurry County until 9:00 PM ***

*** High Wind Watch for Stonewall County until 9:00 PM ***

*** Severe Weather: Slight Risk Issued by SPC For the Eastern Big Country and Eastern Heartland. Strong to Severe Storms Possible along the dryline this afternoon and evening. Area roughly along and east of U.S. Highway 277, including the U.S. 183 & 283 Corridor and the I-20 Corridor east of Abilene. ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited....

* I think the advisories above just about cover it for today. Extremely high fire danger across the area this afternoon behind a dryline that will advance eastward today. Along and ahead of the dryline, isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are expected to develop. Also we will be dealing with blowing dust at times today to make matters worse.

* Please see the KRBC Forecast: Tuesday AM video forecast for more detail on the events today and of course stay with KRBC News and BigCountryHomepage.Com during the day for breaking weather news.

Here Comes More Wind !!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

After mostly light rainfall through the area early this morning, we return to our dry and windy ways. Another fast moving upper level low will swing across the area Tuesday. It might possibly create a storm or two across our eastern viewing area but doubtful. It will, however, produce much wind, especially during the afternoon hours. Expect wind gusts between 30 and 40 to be common which increases the threat for wildfires once again. The wind should die down Tuesday night, remain fairly tranquil Wednesday, but increase once again Thursday and remain gusty through the upcoming weekend.

Chances for more rain over the next seven days are slim to none. Temperatures will be a little above normal for this time of year.

Wet Morning, Dry Afternoon

Good Moring from the KRBC Triple Doppler Weatherlab...

* The front has pushed through the forecast area this morning with a sunny day is on tap for this afternoon with afternoon temperatures around 70 degrees and breezy conditions over the area. Next upper level system is digging down the west coast this morning and will be over New Mexico by early tomorrow. Tuesday will be warm and windy ahead of the next system with temperatures in the upper 7os. The windy conditions combined with very dry air over the western half of the cwa will create a fire danger tuesday afternoon. As the second upper level system moves over the panhandle area late Tuesday with another cold front will push through the area during the day. Moisture return back into the forecast area will be limited. The best chance of shower activity on Tuesday will be over our extreme eastern counties tuesday evening where the best moisture will be located.

* An approaching strong upper level disturbance moving into new mexico will push a dryline into western portions of the forecast area on tuesday. A combination of warm temperatures, dry air and gusty winds behind the dryline may bring critical fire weather conditions to roughly the western half of west central Texas Tuesday afternoon.

Storms Sunday Night / Fire Watch Tuesday

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Hope for rain Sunday night and Monday morning will be replaced by the same scenario we've grown accustomed to, wildfire danger by Tuesday.

Thunderstorms look likely from late Sunday night through the overnight and early morning hours of Monday, followed by clearing skies.

Another fast moving upper level disturbance will crank the wind from the west Tuesday, drying out the area causing a rise in the fire danger. Don't be surprised to see dust blow into the area Tuesday. The following statement was released by the National Weather Service Sunday afternoon, regarding the Tuesday wildfire potential.


...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

.WITH THE APPROACH OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE FROM NEW
MEXICO...A DRYLINE WILL ADVANCE EAST ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS ON TUESDAY.

A COMBINATION OF WARM TEMPERATURES...DRY AIR AND GUSTY WINDS BEHIND THE DRYLINE MAY BRING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TO ROUGHLY THE WESTERN HALF OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 25 MPH AT THE 20 FT LEVEL
ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR TUESDAY AFTERNOON. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
ARE EXPECTED TO DROP BELOW 20 PERCENT.

THE COMBINATION OF THESE FACTORS WILL ELEVATE THE FIRE WEATHER DANGER TO CRITICAL LEVELS. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

Strong to Severe Storms Tonight:

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
724 AM CST SUN FEB 8 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS TONIGHT...AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS WEST TEXAS SUNDAY AFTERNOON...AND PUSH INTO WEST CENTRAL TEXAS DURING THE LATE EVENING AND EARLY MORNING TIME PERIOD. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BRIEFLY REACH SEVERE LEVELS...MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF A HASKELL TO SWEETWATER TO SAN ANGELO LINE. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE LINE OF STORMS WILL LIKELY BE EXITING WEST CENTRAL TEXAS BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY MORNING. A SECOND STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND DRYLINE WILL ENTER THE REGION FROM THE WEST ON TUESDAY. THIS WILL BRING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO EASTERN SECTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...STRONG WEST WINDS WILL FOLLOW THIS SYSTEM BEHIND THE DRYLINE. AREAS THAT DO NOT SEE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TONIGHT MAY SEE HAZARDOUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ON TUESDAY AS WELL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED ACROSS THE WESTERN BIG COUNTRY
AND THE WESTERN CONCHO VALLEY SUNDAY EVENING.

Strong Storms Possible Sunday Night:

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
711 AM CST SAT FEB 7 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE FOR TODAY DUE TO
STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS AND THE RECENT DRY SPELL. OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT COULD RESULT IN THE GENERATION OF A FIRE SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TX MAINLY WEST OF AN ABILENE TO SAN ANGELO LINE SUNDAY EVENING. THE MAIN POTENTIAL HAZARD WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...WITH MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL BEING SECONDARY. A POTENT UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO EJECT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SUNDAY NIGHT AND WILL INTERACT WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER THE REGION TO PRODUCE A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH COULD BECOME SEVERE...THAT WILL SWEEP ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TX. WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED DUE TO A LACK OF INSTABILITY.

THERE IS ANOTHER RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TX. THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR A MORE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AS YET ANOTHER STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THERE WILL BE MORE INSTABILITY FOR THIS SYSTEM TO WORK WITH...SO THIS SITUATION BEARS WATCHING AS THIS TIME NEARS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

Rain Chances On The Horizon:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Warming up and very windy during the day today with south winds ranging anywhere between 20-35 miles per hour. Highs will climb into the middle and upper 70s today. Sky conditions will be mostly sunny but clouds will begin to increase tonight as we drop into the middle 50s.

* Rain Chances: Still looks like a line of thunderstorms will sweep through the Big Country late Sunday night and early Monday morning, which will probably bring us the best rain chances we've had since all the way back in October. The SPC has a slight risk for severe weather outlined for Sunday for an area just to our west from Midland-Odessa to about Dalhart. The line of storms could be strong to severe as it moves through our area...the primary threat being winds and hail. Stay with us over the weekend as we monitor the event. There is also another chance for rain, although slight, for late Tuesdy and into the day on Wednesday.

Have a great weekend...

Wind Woes / Rain Hopes

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

The gusty wind isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. We'll experience gusty wind for the next week or so as systems approach and pass through our area.

We are entering a more progressive weather pattern allow rain to enter the forecast. On Friday and Saturday, gusty south wind helps return Gulf moisture to the area. By late Sunday, as a vigorous upper level storm moves our way, a squall line of thunderstorms is expected to develop and move through our area. This will most likely occur Sunday night into early Monday morning. A few of the storms could become severe.

Another upper level storm may provide a chance for thunderstorms Tuesday night or Wednesday, as it follows the first storm.

Friday and Saturday: Very windy. Morning low clouds, then mostly sunny skies. Highs 71-75 both days. South wind 20 to 30 with higher gusts. Overnight lows in the low 50's.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, continued windy, high 68 with a 20% chance for late day storms.

Sunday Night: Thunderstorms likely, some severe. Low near 52.

Monday: Morning thunderstorms, then partly cloudy and windy. High 68.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy and windy, high 70 with a cold front approaching late.

Warm & Windy Today:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Warming up and very windy during the day today with south winds ranging anywhere between 20-30 miles per hour. Highs will climb into the lower 70s today and we should see a few high clouds working in the area later today.

* Fire Danger: The fire threat remains elevated thanks to the severe drought and the very windy conditions the next few days. Moisture will return from the southeast raising the relative humidity values before our next rain event. As of today, the NWS says they will not issue any advisories due to relative humidity values above
20% today, but having said that the threat is still high. All counties in the KRBC viewing area are under a burn ban.

* Warming Trend: Daytime highs in the 70s will be paramount as we head into Friday and the weekend with partly cloudy conditions. Nice weekend for outdoor activities.

* Rain Chances: Still looks like a line of thunderstorms will sweep through the Big Country late Sunday night and early Monday morning, which will probably bring us the best rain chances we've had since all the way back in October. There is also another chance for rain, although slight, for late Tuesday and into the day on Wednesday.

Have a great Thursday...

Window of Opportunity for Rain

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

Welcome to the blog, dry most of the time, wet every once in a while.

What we have coming up is a three day stretch of dry and warm weather - Thursday through Saturday, the gusty south wind will dominate keeping temperatures higher than normal but also increasing the wildfire danger.

We're watching a large upper level low pressure center, located off the west coast of California Wednesday evening. It will move east and bring us a chance for rain by Sunday.

It appears our "window of opportunity" for rain will be between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, most likely overnight Sunday night. Some showers are possible along with a line of thunderstorms. It will be a brief opportunity, but hopefully some, if not all, of us will benefit from some rain. Amounts won't likely be impressive.

Temperatures trend above normal in the 70's Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Overnight lows above normal around 50.

A Bit Cooler Today, Warmer & Windy Tomorrow:

* Another nice day across the area today, although it will be a few degrees cooler thanks to the front that moved through late yesterday afternoon across the Big Country. Highs today will reach the lower 60s and we'll cool down to only the lower 40s tonight. Winds will begin to pick up tonight as well.

* Fire Danger: Winds will really begin to pick up the next few days as we also start a warming trend. The fire threat remains elevated thanks to the severe drought and also looks to increase. By late weekend moisture will return raising the relative humidity values before our next rain event.

* Warming Trend: Daytime highs in the 70s will be paramount as we head into Friday and the weekend with partly cloudy conditions. Nice weekend for outdoor activities.

* Rain Chances: Still looks like a line of thunderstorms will sweep through the Big Country late Sunday night and early Monday morning, which will probably bring us the best rain chances we've had since all the way back in October. Instability and dynamics are not looking so impressive this morning on the threat of severe weather, but having said that we could see a strong storm or two. Stay tuned as we get closer to the event and get a better feel for the threat.

Have a great Wednesday...

A Nice Day Ahead:

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* A very nice day ahead with plenty of sunshine and highs in the upper 60s across the Big Country. A cold front moved through late this evening and overnight work a slightly cooler air mass works into Texas.Highs tomorrow will be about 10 degrees cooler around 60 in most spots.

* Warming Trend: Daytime highs in the 70s will be paramount as we head into Friday and the weekend with partly cloudy conditions. Nice weekend for outdoor activities.

* Fire Danger: The fire threat remains elevated thanks to the severe drought and also looks to increase as we get toward the weekend with gusty winds from the southwest that warm the daytime highs into the 70s. Late weekend returns raising the relative humidity values.

* Rain Chances: Model runs this morning are looking better for a chance of rain late Sunday and into Monday morning. Last night and this mornings models are hinting at a possible squall line moving through the area which would bring us a little better rain chance but then again looking at the parameters right now for right now, we have some dynamics in place for possible strong storms. Something to keep an eye on, otherwise the big story here is some rain!

Enjoy your Tuesday...

Rain on the Horizon

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

A blocking ridge of high pressure rules the weather stage through the rest of this week. But once the high breaks down and drifts to the east this weekend, it allows for an area of low pressure to set up shop and bring us a chance for rain from the southwest.

The pattern itself is pretty similar to what happened this time last week when the high departed and the moisture came out of the southwest, putting us in an ice storm. This time, however, cold air isn't in the equation.

It's still too early to forecast rainfall amounts and percentages. I've put a 20% chance in for late Sunday and a 30% chance for Monday, so we are still about a week away. As the days go by, hopefully I can increase those percentages.

Drought continues through Saturday, wildfire danger remains high, especially when the winds increase Thursday and remain gusty through Saturday. Most counties in our area are under Burn Bans.

Monday Night: Clear and cold, 29.
Tuesday: Sunny and mild, high 64 with a weak front shifting winds to the north in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Clear and 32.
Wednesday: Sunny and 62.
Thursday: Sunny and windy, 68.
Friday: Partly cloudy and windy, 73.
Saturday: Partly cloudy and windy, 73.
Sunday: Becoming mostly cloudy, 20% chance for late day showers, high 65.
Monday: Mostly cloudy, 30% chance for thunderstorms, high around 60.

Six More Weeks Of Winter?

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Today is Groundhog Day so the question is what can we expect? An end to winter early or six more weeks of the cold stuff? We'll its hard to say because we have a variety of cold and warm in my forecast package for the week ahead. I'm not too keen on the predictions and even more less since I've lived in Texas on and off for three years. We have such a unique weather pattern in this area. We had 80s last month at one point only to end the month with an ice storm, so its hard to say what will happen.

* Getting Back To Business: The cold front moved through late yesterday and last night and continues to move southward as a cooler air mass works into Texas. Highs today will be about 10 degrees cooler than yesterday, mainly into the upper 50s with ample sunshine. Winds will slowly shift tonight and tomorrow which will start a slow warming trend for the area. By Tuesday, highs will be back into the 60s across the Big Country.

* Down The Road: Warm weather fans will like the forecast as we get closer to the end of the week with highs in the upper 60s and widespead 70s over the upcoming weekend. The forecast for this period looks to be partly cloudy.

* Rain Chances: Not good for the week ahead but moisture will be on the increase by late week and I've introduced a slight chance in my forecast package at the end of the forecast period around Sunday with a better chance next Monday based on the forecast model runs.

* Fire Danger: Will remain elevated or high this week but will relax some toward the weekend as that moisture returns raising the relative humidity values.

Have a great Monday...

Familiar Weather Pattern Returns

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ....

One thing about this overall weather pattern we are stuck in for now - even though there are times when systems come our way, more often as not, the weather tends to return to a familiar pattern. Unfortunately, that pattern has been a dry northwest flow most of the time, dry cold fronts dropping in from the north.

This week, that pattern is back - but if our forecast models are correct, early next week a slight chance for rain returns to the area.

Until then, be safe, no outside burning.

Temperatures will be around normal Monday, 5 degrees above normal Tuesday and Wednesday then 10 to 15 degrees above normal Thursday. By Friday and Saturday, temperatures warm to 15 to 20 degrees above normal before the next cold front arrives late Saturday or early Sunday.

I'm hoping that an upper level low spins our way from the southwest early next week to bring a chance for rain - we'll leave the chance as slight for now.

Have a great week !!!

Nice Weather Ahead:

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Calm wind becoming north northeast between 10 and 15 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. North northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. South southwest wind between 5 and 15 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. South southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind between 15 and 20 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North northeast wind between 15 and 20 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

It's About to Get Better !!

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

I'll keep this brief. Hazardous roads are the rule through much of the day.

The temperature, which dropped to 12 this morning in Abilene, should warm past freezing late morning or around noon which starts our thawing process.

Most of the thawing will take place through the middle of the afternoon.

There could be some patchy ice tonight and Thursday morning as temperatues fall once again below freezing. We could see temperatures from 20-28 across the area Thursday morning.

I'm not expecting any more moisture, in any form, through the next seven days.

This weekend, temperatures will warm back to the low 60's with mostly sunny skies.

Be safe out there !!! Delay any travel, if possible, until Wednesday afternoon.

Hazardous Morning, Improving Afternoon:

Good Morning from KRBC Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Another short update this morning as I am finishing up my forecast package for the newscast this morning and preparing for special extended coverage of the event this morning on KRBC.

* Top Story: Winter storm event has come to an end across the Big Country, Heartland and Northern Concho Valley. All the precipitation has moved into central Texas and out of our area. As I blog this a little after 3:00 AM, the sky conditions are clear generally across the areas west of US 277. The clearing line will continue to move eastward this morning. Advisories still out for the area but should be dropped soon with the storm system having already passed us.

* Temperatures have dropped well into the teens this morning. At this hour, Abilene sits at 17°, while Snyder sits at 16°, Sweetwater sits at 19° and 21° at Breckenridge, Brownwood and Comanche. Areas that are clearing out could drop a few more degrees before daybreak.

* Icy conditions will stick around during the morning but as we warm up we should begin to see the icy melt. Daytime highs will climb to near 50 in many spots by afternoon. Expect a southwest wind to help warm us up as well today.

* Big Country Travel Alert: Road conditons this morning across the area are very hazardous. There is much more ice, not to mention sleet pellets on the roads so travel is dangerous. As we stated, conditions are a little worse this morning out there so be careful and if you must travel don't be in a rush and take your time.

* KRBC News will air a special 5 hour edition of West Texas Today starting this morning at 5:00 AM. We'll have team coverage of the travel hazards, as well as a wrap-up of the icy mess from this storm system. The newscast will be anchored by Stephanie, Downing, Randy & I along with our reporters live in the field. Be sure to join us for the latest information. Current business and school closings/delays can be found on bigcountryhomepage.com.

Stay safe and have a pleasant Wednesday...

Moisture Ends Tonight - Icy Wednesday Morning

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

As of 9:30pm Tuesday night, the moisture was decreasing from west to east across the Big Country. We were still receiving light sleet and even some snowflakes at KRBC but westward toward Sweetwater and Snyder, the precipitation had ended. It is likely that the sleet will continue across the area from San Angelo to Coleman to Brownwood into the early morning hours of Wednesday but end well before sunrise.

Speaking of sunrise, we may actually get to see it, unless low clouds build back in due to the moisture. Fog is also possible tonight.

The main issue, obviously, will be the icy roads and the question of when thawing begins.

At this time, it looks like we should climb back above freezing between 9am and 11am Wednesday, and by late afternoon, the roads will be drying. Travel will be at its worst through 10am, then improve rapidly afterwards.

Expect temperatures near 50 in the sunshine Wednesday afternoon, but also expect another plunge to near 22 Wednesday night.

Dry weather is on tap Thursday through the weekend as temperatures slowly get back into the low 60's for the weekend.

Winter Storm Warning for Taylor & Area Counties

FISHER-NOLAN-HASKELL-THROCKMORTON-JONES-SHACKELFORD-TAYLOR-
CALLAHAN-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROTAN...ROBY...SWEETWATER...HASKELL...
THROCKMORTON...WOODSON...STAMFORD...ANSON...HAMLIN...ALBANY...
ABILENE...CLYDE...BAIRD...CROSS PLAINS
1117 AM CST TUE JAN 27 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO HAS UPGRADED THE
FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY TO A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY.

THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE CONTINUE ACROSS
MUCH OF THE BIG COUNTRY...WITH TEMPERATURES REMAINING IN THE LOW
TO MID 20S.

LATER THIS EVENING...SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SLEET ARE
POSSIBLE AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES EAST ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS. SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF AROUND ONE HALF INCH CAN
BE EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

TRAVEL CONDITIONS ON AREA ROADS...BRIDGES...AND OVERPASSES WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS. PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL WILL END BY SUNRISE WEDNESDAY...HOWEVER ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES MAY STILL BE SLICK UNTIL TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE FREEZING.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

Winter Weather Getting Worse

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ..

We have a variety of Winter Weather Warnings across the area but all relate to one word - ICE.

Travel will be hazardous through at least the middle of the day Wednesday. There is another disturbance coming out of the southwest which will cross our area from late this afternoon through tonight. That should cause a mix of sleet/freezing rain and even some snow. I wouldn't be surprised to hear a few rumbles of thunder too.

Bottom line - temperatures well below freezing in the low 20's tonight and probably won't get above freezing until Wednesday afternoon. More precipitation equals more ice and worsening conditions.

Take the necessary precautions - plan ahead - avoid travel is possible.

Randy

Morning Weather Update:

*** Freezing Rain Advisory in effect for Taylor, Nolan, Callahan, Jones, Shackelford, Fisher, Haskell, Throckmorton, Coke, Runnels, Coleman, and Brown County until 9:00 AM on Wednesday ***

*** Ice Storm Warning in effect for Stephens, Eastland and Comanche County until 6:00 AM on Tuesday ***

*** Winter Storm Warning in effect for Stephens, Eastland and Comanche County until 6:00 AM on Wednesday ***

*** Winter Weather Advisory in effect for Scurry and Mitchell County until 6:00 PM on Tuesday ***

*** Winter Weather Advisory in effect for Stonewall, King, Kent and Knox County until 12:00 PM on Tuesday ***

Good Morning from Meteorologist Chris Whited...

* Weather a little active right now so will let the graphics cover the update here. Complete forecast and breaking news and weather information coming up on West Texas Today this morning. Also breaking news and weather coverage as warranted and online always at bigcountryhomepage.com

Stay safe and have a good Tuesday...

Wintry Weather Mess Expected

From KRBC Chief Meteorologist Randy Turner ...

As of 9:30pm Monday night, mainly light precipitation was falling across the Big Country with a small batch of freezing rain across portions of Jones, Haskell, Shackelford and Throckmorton counties.

There are several "players" involved in our forecast. First, the cold air is in place. Temperatures aren't expected to warm above freezing until around mid-day Wednesday. Any precipitation which falls will stick on surfaces, mainly vehicles and grass first, then bridges and overpasses, then roadways. Bridges would be my first concern for your Tuesday morning commute.

Southwest flow (Pacific moisture) is set up and will keep our light moisture falling most of the time. What looks like will happen is an disturbance, coming out of the southwest, will approach our area Tuesday afternoon and pass overhead Tuesday night. As that happens, you can anticipate an increase in precipitation Tuesday afternoon but especially Tuesday night. Not only will freezing rain be possible, but expect some sleet to possiby mix in. All this equals an icy scenario through the middle of the day Wednesday.

After Wednesday morning, we should see a rapid improvement in our weather.

Bottom line - we'll continue to experience light freezing precipitation Monday night and Tuesday but amounts and strength of precipitation should increase Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night before ending Wednesday morning. Therefore, the Wednesday morning commute may be worse than the Tuesday morning commute.

Check here often on Bigcountryhomepage.com for updates.

Drive safely !!

Randy Turner

Breaking News - Freezing Rain Advisory Issued

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
152 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009

...FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

.A STRONG COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY PUSHING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON...USHERING IN A SHALLOW COLD AIR MASS ACROSS
ALL OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES AND IS FORECAST TO PUSH EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL BRING INCREASED CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AT THIS SAME TIME...WARM...MOIST AIR WILL SURGE NORTH OVER THE SHALLOW COLD AIR ALREADY IN PLACE...CAUSING ANY RAINFALL TO FREEZE AS IT FALLS INTO THE COLD AIR NEAR THE SURFACE.

...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM TUESDAY TO 9 AM CST
WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANGELO HAS ISSUED A FREEZING
RAIN ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM TUESDAY TO 9 AM CST
WEDNESDAY.

AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED
ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING. ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT...WITH AMOUNTS
OF GENERALLY LESS THAN ONE TENTH OF AN INCH...MAINLY ON ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. SOME ROADS ACROSS THE NORTHERN BIG COUNTRY MAY ALSO SEE SOME ICE ACCUMULATIONS AS TEMPERATURES DROP INTO THE MID 20S.

ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS CAN BE EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING AS AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD. TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO TWO TENTHS OF A INCH ARE POSSIBLE...WITH THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN
SECTIONS OF THE BIG COUNTRY. TRAVEL CONDITIONS ON AREA
ROADS...BRIDGES...AND OVERPASSES WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS WITH
TEMPERATURES TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE LOW TO MID 20S.

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Breaking News - Freezing Drizzle Developing

From the NWS/San Angelo:

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
149 PM CST MON JAN 26 2009

...FREEZING DRIZZLE NOW DEVELOPING ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY...

TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY...MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF
ABILENE...HAVE NOW DROPPED INTO THE UPPER 20S TO NEAR THE 30
DEGREE MARK. A LARGER AREA OF FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP...AND WITH TEMPERATURES CONTINUING TO SLOWLY FALL...ICY
SPOTS WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ON AREA ROADWAYS. FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THE AFTERNOON...THESE ICY SPOTS WILL MAINLY BE CONFINED TO
ELEVATED SURFACES SUCH AS BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES...AND MAINLY FROM
SWEETWATER TO ROBY...ANSON...AND HASKELL. HOWEVER...BY
SUNSET...ICY SPOTS MAY BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND REACH INTO THE
ABILENE AREA AS WELL.

CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN TRAVELING ACROSS THE BIG COUNTRY.

Special Weather Statement - Freezing Rain Threat

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANGELO TX
931 AM CST MON JAN 26 2009

...FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY PUSHING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS THIS MORNING...AND WILL USHER IN A SHALLOW COLD AIR MASS
INTO MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ARE
ALREADY IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOW 30S ACROSS MUCH OF THE BIG
COUNTRY...AND TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY AND HEARTLAND
ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 30S THIS AFTERNOON. AN UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH IS ALSO DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES...AND
WILL BRING INCREASED CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION ACROSS WEST CENTRAL
TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AS THE SHALLOW COLD AIR
CONTINUES TO FILTER IN...WARMER...MOIST AIR WILL SURGE NORTH OVER
THE COLD AIR...CAUSING ANY RAINFALL THAT DOES DEVELOP TO FREEZE AS
IT FALLS INTO THE COLD AIR NEAR THE SURFACE.

AT THIS TIME...THERE ARE STILL SOME UNCERTAINTIES IN REGARD TO THE
LOCATION OF THE COLDEST AIR...AND THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE
TO PRODUCE PRECIPITATION. THE CURRENT FORECAST HAS THE SUBFREEZING
TEMPERATURES GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF AN ELDORADO TO SAN SABA LINE TUESDAY MORNING...WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 20S ACROSS THE BIG
COUNTRY...AND IN THE UPPER 20S TO LOW 30S ACROSS THE CONCHO VALLEY
AND HEARTLAND.

THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN UNITED
STATES TUESDAY AFTERNOON...CAUSING THE SHALLOW COLD AIR TO SAG
FURTHER SOUTH INTO SOUTHERN TEXAS. THIS WILL CAUSE TEMPERATURES
ALONG THE INTERSTATE 10 CORRIDOR TO ALSO DROP INTO THE LOW 30S. AS A
RESULT...THE FREEZING LINE WILL PUSH FURTHER SOUTH TUESDAY NIGHT
INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND WILL BE LOCATED GENERALLY SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 10. FROZEN PRECIPITATION IS POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF WEST
CENTRAL TEXAS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH ANY
PRECIPITATION THAT DOES FORM.

AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE TRAVEL HAZARDS
STARTING MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS AREA ROADS MAY
BECOME SLIPPERY...ESPECIALLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL MEDIA...AND INTERNET SOURCES FOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS.


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