Updated 130pm CDT Friday / 25 May 2012

…. A Stable Air Mass.. with Sunshine.. Expected over the Coming Days ….
…. Slightly Above Average Afternoon Temperatures….
…. A Possible Cold Front for the Latter Part of Next Week ….

On this Friday… a ridge of high pressure is located over the southeastern USA with a weak cold front extending westward from southern Missouri into southeastern Kansas and northwest Oklahoma.. then into the northern Texas panhandle and into northeastern New Mexico. A trough.. or line.. of surface low pressure extends from a surface low along the front in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles southward into southwest Texas. As a result of this pressure pattern, a south southeasterly surface wind is blowing across our area.

In the upper levels of the atmosphere, a ridge of upper air high pressure has moved eastward slightly and is located from the lower Mississippi Valley southwestward across south Texas. A strong area of upper air low pressure is located over northern California.  As a result of the upper air wind flow, the upper level winds are light west southwesterly over our area.

There continues to be little change in our weather pattern across south central Texas. The ridge of upper air high pressure overhead.. acting like a “lid” on the atmosphere.. is moving eastward. By the weekend, it will build back westward into the area as an upper air trough develops over the eastern parts of the USA.

For the time being, skies will continue to be mostly sunny to partly cloudy with late night and early morning low cloudiness. The pressure gradient.. with the low pressure area to our northwest.. will result in a breezy south southeasterly wind across our area.

As the upper air trough deepens over the eastern part of the USA next week, we’ll see a cold front move southward into Texas and initial indications are that the front will move through the local area about midday on Thursday. As it moves through the area, given the expected instability and moisture in place, I will introduce a chance of rain showers and thunderstorms on Thursday.

In the wake of the front next Thursday night and Friday, temperatures will cool a few degrees.

For Austin and south central Texas… tonight will be partly cloudy. Lows in the 70s. South southeasterly wind. For tomorrow, morning low clouds becoming partly cloudy. Highs around 90 with a south southeasterly wind.

Have a good Friday night and Saturday…
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel

Contact me:
tkimmel@mail.utexas.edu
http://www.facebook.com/troykimmel