Friday, June 23, 2006

Below Average Temperatures Ahead

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We got some nice rainfall across much of the Big Country this morning. It formed along an outflow boundary left from the storms that mostly died out in the panhandle region. Due to the clouds and rainfall, most of the Big Country stayed in the 80s for highs. There were a few spots like Sweetwater and Brownwood that managed to make it into the 90s due some breaks in the clouds.

Several boundaries from earlier thunderstorm activity remain across the state. We still have plenty of moisture in place, so it won't take much to get a shower or thunderstorm going. For tonight and tomorrow, our rain chance looks to be about 20%. Lows tonight should reach the mid to upper 60s. Skies should clear a little tomorrow, but it will still be partly cloudy so highs are expected to make it into the low 90s.

A stray shower or storm can't be ruled out on Sunday, but our chance looks to be less than slight. Partly cloudy skies should still be around with highs remaining in the low 90s.

Cooler and drier air is expected to filter in early next week. This means mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 80s for Monday through Wednesday.

With an upper level high pressure ridge looking to build in towards the end of the next work week, we can expect highs to return to the low 90s by Friday.

Have a super Saturday!

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Rain Chances Still Looking Good

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Some parts of the viewing area were lucky enough to see some rainfall today. The first batch moved through the north and northeastern portions early this afternoon before dying out. The second batch rolled mainly into Scurry County this evening. There was a severe thunderstorm warning for winds over 70 mph and nickel size hail. As I write this, that activity has weakened to just moderate rainfall.

Rain chances look to continue for all of us over the next seven days due to the pattern that is setting up. We will be in a northerly flow aloft with some periodic upper level disturbances expected to move into the Big Country. Right now, it looks as though one of those will affect us tomorrow and into Saturday. Combine that with outflow boundaries roaming around the region from today's activity, our rain chance stands at 30% for the next two days. With moisture hanging around and the possibility of more disturbances Sunday through most of next week, showers and thunderstorms can't be ruled out. Our chances during that time period range from slight to 20%.

Temperatures still look to be around average for this time of year with highs in the low 90s and lows in the upper 60s.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Rain Chances Looking A Little Better

From Chief Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The first day of summer was a nice one across the Big Country. It was a little hot and muggy, but with highs in the low 90s we were close to average this time of year.

You'll want to keep the rain gear ready over the next week as we have a chance each and every day. Tonight and tomorrow that chance is slight and mainly for the south and southeastern portions of the viewing area. This is due to the slow moving low pressure system that started in Houston earlier this week and is now near Corpus Christi. It will continue moving west, but could send an isolated shower or thunderstorm toward Brownwood or Comanche. Our rain chances pick up for the entire area Friday through next Wednesday due to the pattern that is setting up. We should be in a northerly flow aloft and some upper level disturbances are expected to move into the area during that time. Right now, we have a 30% chance on Friday and Saturday. Sunday and Monday look to have a slight chance. Tuesday holds a little bit better chance at 20%. Wednesday we should be back down to slight.

Temperatures for the next week are expected to be pretty close to average for this time of year. Highs will likely be in the upper 80s to low 90s with lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Keep The Umbrella Close

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Thanks to some increased moisture and cloud cover today, we didn't warm up as much as we have for most of June. Highs today only reached the upper 80s to low 90s across the Big Country. It's the first time since June 2 that we have had a high in the 80s at Abilene Regional Airport.

The weather pattern that is shaping up for us this week is one that gives us a lot of rain chances. First, a low pressure system that is pulling in a lot of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will continue to move slowly west across south Texas. It should stay far enough south that we won't see much, if any, rainfall. There is a slight chance over the next couple of days that the southern portions of the viewing area could see a stray shower or storm.

The other piece of the pie is the upper level high pressure ridge. It will slide to the west of us by the end of the work week. What this means is that we will be in a northwest flow aloft, so any disturbances that form upstream to our northwest will travel into our area. With moisture expected to remain during that time, showers and thunderstorms can't be ruled out this weekend and early next week. Right now, our chance for rain stands at 20% for Friday through Tuesday. Any rain we see will likely be of the isolated variety. We will continue to keep you updated and let you know if those chances increase.

As far as temperatures go for the next seven days, highs should be in the upper 80s to low 90s and lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, June 19, 2006

Hot and Mainly Calm Week

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We got some much needed rain Friday and Saturday night. Abilene Regional Airport recorded a total of 1.64" for the two days. Unfortunately, we had some severe weather with it that included penny to nickel size hail and winds in excess of 60 mph.

An upper level high pressure ridge should remain in control for much of the week, which means mainly hot and dry conditions for us. The good news is that this ridge doesn't look as strong as the last one so highs should be in the low to mid 90s over the next seven days.

More moisture will be hanging around so it will likely feel a bit muggy. Also, partly cloudy skies can be expected which should help in part with the temperatures.

The ridge may slide to the west just enough by this weekend that we could see an upper level disturbance slide through the area on Sunday. For now, our rain chance is slight on that day and looks to be the only one of the week.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Severe Thunderstorms Possible Tomorrow

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Sorry for the late update, but it has been a busy evening here in the weather center. Strong to severe thunderstorms have rolled through portions of the viewing area dropping penny to quarter size hail and winds in excess of 60 mph. They should continue to move through the area overnight tonight.

More strong to severe thunderstorms are possible again tomorrow in the Big Country due to an upper level low pressure trough that is bringing some disturbances with it. We are under a slight risk for severe thunderstorms according to the Storm Prediction Center. The main threats will be large hail and damaging winds. Our chance for rain is 30%.

The trough should begin to exit the region late Sunday. We could still see more showers and thunderstorms. Right now that chance is 20%.

There is a slight chance of rain on Monday and Tuesday for the eastern communities due to lingering moisture and a possible disturbance.

By Wednesday, rain chances come to an end and an upper level high pressure ridge begins to build back into the area.

Highs for the next seven days look to be in the low to mid 90s with lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Keep it tuned to KRBC for the latest severe weather information.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Rain Still Possible This Weekend

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The sizzling heat continued today as we once again reached the upper 90s for highs here in the Big Country. This should be the last time we do that for a little while. Slightly cooler temperatures are expected over the coming days.

An upper level low pressure trough will kick the upper level high pressure ridge east of our area beginning tomorrow. This means we should see an increase in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The best moisture will likely be in east Texas though. Combine that with some disturbances that are supposed to move around the trough and into the Lone Star State and we have the chance for some showers and thunderstorms.

Tomorrow will still be hot with highs reaching the mid 90s but we should have partly cloudy skies instead of mostly sunny ones. Windy conditions look to be a good bet with winds from the south at 15 to 25 mph and some higher gusts. There is a Wind Advisory and Red Flag Warning in effect for Comanche, Eastland, and Stephens counties for Friday. The dryline looks to activate tomorrow so there is a slight chance of an isolated thunderstorm in our western communites.

The chance for rain increases to 20% for Saturday and Sunday. The best chance for rain looks to be Saturday night at 30%. Partly cloudy skies and highs in the low 90s are expected.

A few disturbances could move into east Texas early next week. Therefore, I've kept a slight chance of rain in the forecast for our eastern communities on Monday and Tuesday. Expect partly cloudy skies and highs in the low 90s to continue.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Rain Chances Looking A Little Better

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector....

The baking temperatures continued across the Big Country today as highs once again reached the mid to upper 90s across the area. This type of heat will be coming to an end very soon as the shift in our weather pattern still looks likely.

The upper level high pressure ridge that has been dominating our weather for almost two weeks now should finally break down by Friday. Highs will still remain in the mid 90s through the end of the work week. Moisture looks to increase over the next couple of days so we can expected it to feel a little more humid.

An upper level low pressure trough should set up by this weekend and bring some disturbances with it. Therefore, we have a chance of rain. Right now, that chance is about 20% to 30% with the best chance being late Saturday into Sunday. More disturbances are possible Monday and Tuesday, but rain chances on those days are slight to 20%. With a little more cloud cover around, we can expect slightly cooler temperatures. Highs should cool down into the low 90s, which is what we average this time of year.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

A Pattern Shift Is Coming Soon

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The heat continued here in the Big Country today as highs once again reached the mid 90s to 100. Sizzling temperaturs are expected to stick around through the end of the work week as the upper level high pressure ridge remains in control. This means highs will likely be in the mid to upper 90s.

A shift in the weather pattern looks to arrive this weekend. The ridge will weaken and an upper level low pressure trough should take over. What this means for us is cooler temperatures and a chance at some rainfall. Highs are expected to drop into the low 90s and could be even lower depending on how much rain and cloud cover we see. Our rain chances for now look to be about 20%. That could increase as we get closer to the end of the week.

Our first tropical system of the Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Alberto, made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida near Adams Beach at 12:30 p.m. CDT today. This is about 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee. It is expected to continue to move northeast along the Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina coastlines before moving back out into the ocean. These states could see several inches of rainfall during the next 24 hours.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, June 12, 2006

Hot For Now, But Some Relief May Be In Sight

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

I know I sound like a broken record, but it was another hot day here in the Big Country today. We once again reached the mid to upper 90s for highs across the area. A little bit of shower activity made it into the northwestern portions of the area. It was the leftovers from some thunderstorms that flared up in the panhandle near Amarillo and Lubbock. That looks to be the only way that we are going to see any rain through at least the end of the work week.

An upper level high pressure ridge will remain in control over the region through Friday. This means we should remain hot with highs around 100 for at least the next four days. Dry conditions are likely to continue too.

It looks like the ridge may finally break down by the weekend and early next week. This means we could see a slight cooling trend. Highs may only be in the low 90s. More moisture will likely be around, so partly cloudy skies are a possibility. What may also be possible according to some computer models is a shot at some rain. That is still six to seven days away, so that chance might not happen. For now, I'm going with a less than slight chance but may increase that as we get closer. Keep your fingers crossed because it has been a while since most of us have seen rain.

Tropical Storm Alberto continues to move closer to the Florida coastline. The 7 p.m. CDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center states that Alberto has sustained winds near 70 mph. This puts it just shy of hurricane status. At 74 mph it will be a category 1 hurricane. There is a possiblity of it becoming a hurricane before landfall. It is moving northeast at 8 mph, which means it should make landfall early on Tuesday if it continues at that pace. It is currently 120 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida. A hurricane warning is in effect from Longboat Key to the Ochlockonee River. It looks like 4 to 8 inches of rainfall with isolated higher amounts are possible. The storm surge looks to be about 8 to 10 feet. We'll continue to keep you updated with this first tropical system of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sunday, June 11, 2006

A Roasty Toasty Work Week

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

It was another very hot day across the Big Country as highs were close to 100. More of the same is expected through the work week. An upper level high pressure ridge will continue to remain in control across the area. This means hot temperatures and pretty much dry conditions. We can expect highs around 100 through Friday.

A little more moisture and a break down of the ridge is possible next weekend so we may cool down into the mid 90s by Sunday and also have partly cloudy skies.

We have our first tropical system of the hurricane season now. The 10 p.m. CDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center states that Tropical Storm Alberto is located 345 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. It has sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts up to 60 mph. It is moving north-northeast at 8 mph. The latest projected path has the storm making landfall on Tuesday in Florida so Tropical Stom Watches are in effect along the Florida coastline from Steinhatchee to Bonita Beach. We'll continue to give you updates as the storm approaches the coastline.

Have a magnificent Monday!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Hot Temperatures To Continue This Weekend

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The blazing heat continued across the Big Country today with everyone getting into the 90s for highs this afternoon. I hope you have enjoyed the somewhat cooler days because it looks like triple digits are possible late this weekend and into next week.

The upper level high pressure ridge that has been in control of our weather for a while now will restrengthen this weekend and hold strong most of next week. Mostly sunny skies and highs around 100 can be expected tomorrow thorugh Thursday.

A little more moisture may move in by next Friday which means we could see partly cloudy skies and slightly cooler temperatures.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Thursday Night Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had another hot day across the Big Country today, but it wasn't as hot as it has been. The reason for the slightly cooler temperatures was due to the upper level high pressure ridge weakening a little bit last night and early today.

The ridge should restrengthen beginning tomorrow and into the weekend. This means high temperatures will once again hang around the triple digit mark.

By the middle of next week, a little more Gulf of Mexico moisture may be entering the area. This means we may have a little more cloud cover by then. The flip side of that is that we'll likely add humid to the hot mix we have had lately. Highs should still remain in the mid to upper 90s in the early and middle portions of the upcoming week.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Wednesday Night Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We were slightly cooler, but still very hot across the Big Country today. Highs ranged from 95 in Snyder to 100 in Sweetwater and Brownwood. Comanche made it to 99, while Abilene managed to get to 98. The reason we were a couple of degrees cooler was due to a wind shift line that moved through and caused our winds to be from the east-northeast instead of south.

The scorching heat looks to continue for at least the next seven days. The upper level high pressure ridge will remain strong through Saturday. Then it looks like it will flatten and weaken a little bit before restrengthening early next week. What this all means for us is that highs will remain in the upper 90s to around 100 for the next week. As far as rain chances go, they are pretty much zero. Be careful in the heat and try to stay cool.

Have a terrific Thursday!

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Hot and Dry Conditions Continue

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

Sorry for the late update tonight. We had the hottest day of the year so far here in the Big Country today. Many spots reported temperatures above 100. Here in Abilene we made it all the way up to 101. Brownwood, Comanche, and Sweetwater each made it to 102. Snyder was just under the century mark at 99.

A weak cold front, really more of a wind shift line, will make its way through the area late tonight and tomorrow. A wind shift from the southeast to the east-northeast is expected. Because of this our temperatures should be a touch cooler, but still very hot. Highs tomorrow look to reach the mid to upper 90s across the area.

An upper level high pressure ridge will continue to control our weather over the next week with hot and dry conditions expected. Highs will likely remain in the upper 90s for Thursday through early next week. Try to stay cool and protect yourself from the heat.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Monday, June 05, 2006

The Blazing Heat Continues

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We had the hottest day of the year today across much of the Big Country. Here in Abilene we hit 99 officially at the airport. Snyder also made it up to 99. Sweetwater and Comance made it to 100, while Brownwood was the hot spot at 101.

An upper level high pressure ridge is expected to remain in control across our area through the next seven days. This means the hot and dry conditions will continue. The ridge may break down a little bit by second half of the weekend and early next week. Highs over the next seven days will range from 95 to 100, while lows should be in the low 70s.

Please be careful in this heat. If you are going to be working outdoors, be sure you are taking breaks and coming inside to cool down in the air conditioning. Also, drink plenty of water and wear light-colored clothing.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Sunday Night Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The warming trend continued today with highs reaching the mid to upper 90s in many locations across the Big Country. More heat is on tap for us during the next seven days.

The upper level high pressure ridge that is setting up shop across much of the central and southwestern U.S. will continue to dominate our weather. It looks like tomorrow and Tuesday could be the hottest days we have had so far this year. Highs are expected to reach 100 for much of the viewing area. Remember if you are going to be working outdoors that you will need to take breaks inside where your body can cool down in the air conditioning. Also, be sure that you are drinking plenty of water.

Mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 90s are likely for Wednesday through Friday.

By next weekend, the high pressure ridge may break down a little bit so highs could fall back into the low 90s.

Unfortunately, we look to be dry for at least the next week.

Have a magnificent Monday!

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Saturday Night Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

The warming trend continued today as most locations in the Big Country made it into the low 90s for highs. Luckily, it wasn't too humid as dewpoints remained in the 50s for most of the area.

The heat will definitely be on for the rest of the weekend and most of next week. An upper level high pressure ridge will dominate over the region. This typically means hot and dry conditions for us. Looking at Sunday through Wednesday, we should have mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 90s. The triple digits are possible in a few locations Monday through Wednesday.

Moisture looks to return by Thursday, so we should see partly cloudy skies starting then and lasting into the weekend. The ridge may be breaking down by late next week so we can expect highs to fall back down into the low 90s by next Saturday.

Have a spectacular Sunday!

Friday, June 02, 2006

Friday Evening Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We saw warm temperatures today with highs reaching the 80s across the viewing area. The nice thing about today was the fact that drier air began filtering into the area so it wasn't nearly as humid as it has been for about the past week.

An upper level high pressure ridge will continue building into the central portions of the country. It should end up dominating our weather for at least the next week. This means hot temperatures and dry conditions for us.

Sunday through Tuesday look to be mostly sunny with highs ranging from the low to upper 90s.

By Wednesday, a little more moisture may be returning to the area so partly cloudy skies are expected but highs should remain in the mid 90s.

Have a Super Saturday!

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Thursday Evening Update

From Meteorologist Brandon Rector...

We've had some isolated showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. There could be a few more during the overnight hours. If I had to put a number on it, I would say the chance for rain is 20%. None of the storms are expected to be severe.

An upper level high pressure ridge should begin building across the region tomorrow. A stray shower or storm can't be completely ruled out in the extreme southeastern portions of the area, but the chance of one occurring is less than slight. Highs should be in the mid to upper 80s under partly cloudy skies.

High pressure should dominate our weather this weekend and likely into early next week. This means hot temperatures and dry conditions. Highs look to be in the low to mid 90s.

Have a fantastic Friday!

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