Updated 915am CT – Thursday / 21 December 2017
… Sunshine Today …
… Cold Front with Rain Chances Tomorrow into Tomorrow Night …
… Partly Cloudy and Cooler Temperatures over the Weekend into Next Week …
On the Weather Map…
On the surface map… a developing and strengthening surface low pressure is located to our distant northwest over the four corners region eastward into southern Colorado and western Kansas. A warm front extends eastward from the surface low over Kansas into eastern Kansas and southern Missouri. A cold front links the surface lows and extends westward through western Kansas through Colorado then into extreme southeastern Utah and through Arizona into northwestern Mexico and the northern Baja Peninsula. As a result of this surface weather pattern, our surface winds across south central Texas are southerly.
On the upper air map… a strong dynamic upper level low is over southern Utah with the general trough, or line, of upper air low pressure that it is part of, extends southwestward from eastern Montana and the Dakotas into the southwest USA and northwestern Mexico. As a result of this upper air weather pattern, the 30,000 foot winds over our area are southwesterly at 60 to 70 mph.
What I am Seeing As I Look Ahead…
The strong upper air low pressure disturbance, to our distant northwest, is moving eastward, By tonight into tomorrow, as it moves across Texas, another round of rain showers and thunderstorms expected across our area. Current NWS/Weather Prediction Center rainfall forecasts suggest another 1/4 to 3/4 inch of rainfall with the system. In the wake of the front and as the upper air low pressure disturbance moves east of the area, rain chances will decrease by late Friday night.
Another secondary cold front will arrive Saturday night with additional cooling of temperatures Sunday into Monday (Christmas Day). No precipitation is anticipated at this time.
Overall, I expect the skies to become partly cloudy with temperatures turning progressively cooler tomorrow through Saturday continuing through the early and middle part of next week including the Christmas Day period.
Given the fact that many people will be traveling during this upcoming holiday period, you can be assured that I will be watching the forecast pattern closely for you.
Have a good Thursday….
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel
Contact me:
tkimmel@austin.utexas.edu
http://www.facebook.com/troykimmel
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Updated 845am CT.. Thursday / 21 December 2017
TODAY…. Patchy morning fog otherwise mostly sunny. High 75. Southerly wind 5 to 12 mph.
TONIGHT…. Increasing clouds early becoming mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers developing after midnight. A 40% chance of rain; where it occurs, it will average 1/4 inch or less. Low 59. Southerly wind 5 to 10 mph becoming more southwesterly after midnight.
FRIDAY…. Cloudy and turning cooler in the wake of a morning/midday cold front. Occasional rain showers and a few thunderstorms with an associated lightning risk. A 70% chance of rain; where it occurs, it will average 1/4 to 3/4 inch. High 63 in the morning with temperatures falling into the 50s by afternoon. Southwesterly wind early becoming north northwesterly 8 to 15 mph as the cold front passes.
FRIDAY NIGHT…. Scattered rain showers early. A 40% chance of rain; additional rainfall, where it occurs, will average less than 1/4 inch. Mostly cloudy. Low 41. Northerly wind 8 to 15 mph.
SATURDAY…. Partly cloudy. High 56. Northerly wind 8 to 15 mph.
SATURDAY NIGHT…. Partly cloudy. Low 39. Light northeasterly wind.
SUNDAY /CHRISTMAS EVE/…. Partly cloudy with a cold front passing in the morning hours. High 52. Winds becoming north northwesterly and increasing to 8 to 15 mph.
SUNDAY NIGHT…. Mostly clear. Low 30. Winds diminishing to become light northeasterly wind.
MONDAY /CHRISTMAS DAY/…. Mostly sunny. High 54. Northeasterly wind 4 to 8 mph.
MONDAY NIGHT…. Mostly clear. Low 32. Light northeasterly wind.
TUESDAY…. Partly cloudy. High 58. Easterly wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeasterly in the afternoon.
TUESDAY NIGHT…. Partly cloudy. Low 38. Light southeasterly wind.
WEDNESDAY…. Partly cloudy. High 60. Southeasterly wind 5 to 10 mph.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE / 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK
Valid Wednesday / 27 December 2017 through Tuesday / 02 January 2018…
Temperature… Below Average
Precipitation… Above Average
AUSTIN SUNSET/SUNRISE TIMES…..
Sunrise this morning (21 December)………………………………. 7:23 am
Sunset this evening (21 December)………………………………… 5:35 pm
Sunrise tomorrow (22 December)…………………………………… 7:24 am
Sunset tomorrow (22 December)……………………………………. 5:36 pm