Updated 915am CT – Wednesday / 26 April 2017
.. A Weak Cold Front Due Today ..
.. A Stronger Cold Front with a Chance of Thunderstorms by the Weekend ..
On this Wednesday… an eastward cold front extends from central Missouri southwestward through southeastern Oklahoma into a low over western north Texas then into southwest Texas and northern Mexico south of El Paso. As a result of this surface weather pattern, our surface winds across south central Texas are southerly.
In the upper levels of the atmosphere, a deep trough.. or line of upper level low pressure.. is moving eastward from the Dakotas into west Texas. As a result of this upper air weather pattern, the 30,000 foot winds over south central Texas are west southwesterly at 60 to 70 mph.
A cold front and dry line will advance eastward deep into Texas by this afternoon with a dry frontal passage expected. Winds will shift northwesterly with drier air moving into the area with afternoon highs continuing well above normal. Temperatures lows tonight will be cooler again simply due to the drier air place.
The change to drier air will be very temporary as the front returns back north northwesterly over the area by tomorrow. Low level moisture returns quickly to the area by late tomorrow night into Friday and the weekend.
As a dynamic area of upper air low pressure moves eastward through the southwestern USA into the southern and central plains by late Friday into Saturday, a stronger area of surface low pressure and associated cold front will advance quickly into Texas. The cold front will pass through the local area before sunrise on Sunday. With low level moisture in place along with instability and atmospheric lift accompanying the system, the latest guidance from the NWS/Storm Prediction Center suggests prefrontal thunderstorms over the area with stronger, potentially severe, thunderstorms mainly in areas to our north over north Texas and Oklahoma and areas eastward.
A drier.. more stable and a cooler air mass will move into Texas in the wake of the front for most of the day Sunday through Sunday night into early next week.
Have a good Wednesday….
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel
Contact me:
tkimmel@austin.utexas.edu
http://www.facebook.com/troykimmel
—
Updated 845am CT.. Wednesday / 26 April 2017
TODAY…. Some morning low clouds.. otherwise mostly sunny as a weak cold front passes in the afternoon. High 91. Southerly winds 8 to 15 mph becoming more southwesterly before shifting north northwesterly.
TONIGHT…. Mostly clear and cooler. Low 54. North northwesterly wind 4 to 8 mph becoming light after midnight.
THURSDAY…. Mostly sunny. High 86. Wind becoming south southeasterly wind 5 to 12 mph.
THURSDAY NIGHT…. Mostly clear. Low 68. South southeasterly wind 5 to 10 mph.
FRIDAY…. Becoming partly cloudy. Unseasonably warm with a high of 92. Southerly wind 5 to 12 mph.
FRIDAY NIGHT…. Partly cloudy early becoming cloudy late. Low 73. Southeasterly wind 5 to 12 mph.
SATURDAY…. Morning low clouds.. otherwise partly cloudy with widely scattered afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms with an associated lightning risk. A 20% chance of rain; rainfall, where it occurs, will average 1/4 inch or less. High 89. Southerly wind 8 to 18 mph with some higher gusts.
SATURDAY NIGHT…. Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, mainly after midnight, with an associated lightning risk. A 40% chance of rain; rainfall, where it occurs, will average 1/4 inch or less. Low 61. South southeasterly wind 8 to 15 mph with some higher gusts.. winds becoming more southwesterly after midnight then northwesterly toward daybreak as a cold front passes.
SUNDAY…. Mostly cloudy with widely scattered rain showers and thunderstorms before 7am with an associated lightning risk. A 20% chance of rain; rainfall, where it occurs, will average 1/4 inch or less. Clearing.. less humid and a little cooler morning through the afternoon. High 75. Northwesterly wind 8 to 15 mph with some higher gusts.
SUNDAY NIGHT…. Clear and unseasonably cool. Low 50. North northwesterly 5 to 10 mph.
MONDAY…. Sunshine. High 79. Northerly wind 5 to 10 mph becoming more east northeasterly by afternoon.
MONDAY NIGHT…. Clear. Low 57. Light easterly wind.
TUESDAY…. Sunny and warmer. High 85. Southerly wind increasing to 5 to 12 mph.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE / 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK
Valid Wednesday / 03 May 2017 through Tuesday / 09 May 2017…
Temperature… Below Average
Precipitation… Near Average
AUSTIN SUNSET/SUNRISE TIMES…..
Sunrise this morning (26 Apr)……………………………………………. 6:52 am
Sunset this evening (26 Apr)……………………………………………… 8:06 pm
Sunrise tomorrow (27 Apr)………………………………………………… 6:51 am
Sunset tomorrow (27 Apr)…………………………………………………. 8:06 pm