Updated 915am CT – Friday / 20 April 2018
… Rain / Thunderstorm Chances Beginning Late Tonight …
… Rain Chances Decrease As Cold Front Passes Late Saturday Night …
… Sunshine Returns for Sunday into the New Week …
On the Weather Map…
On the surface map… a stationary front extends from central Florida southwestward over the central Gulf of Mexico then into Mexico well south of Brownsville and into northeastern Mexico. High pressure, north of the front, is centered over the western Great Lakes and the southeastern USA. As a result of this surface weather pattern, our surface winds are easterly.
On the upper air map… a series of upper level low pressure disturbances is embedded in a rather zonal (west-to-east) wind flow over the USA. The first disturbance is centered east of Maine with another stronger one over southeastern Utah. As a result of the upper air weather pattern, the 30,000 foot winds over our local area are westerly about 70 mph.
What I am Seeing As I Look Ahead…
The cold front, which moved through the area in the midday hours on Wednesday, has become stationary over the central Gulf of Mexico.
The upper level low pressure disturbance, over southeastern Utah, and an associated stronger cold front is still expected to approach the area beginning later tonight and will move through the area by midnight tomorrow night. As it approaches, the stationary front over the Gulf of Mexico will turn into a warm front and rush back northward through our area by tomorrow morning into tomorrow afternoon.
As the air mass in advance of system grows more moist and unstable, I expect rain shower and thunderstorm activity beginning tonight (mainly after midnight) with chances peaking tomorrow as the system moves eastward. The latest NWS/Storm Prediction Center guidance has maintained the severe weather risk for tomorrow as “marginal,” with an associated hail and stronger straight line thunderstorm wind threat in areas mainly to our northeast, for tomorrow and tomorrow night. The chance of rain will decrease by late tomorrow night as the surface cold front passes. The NWS/Weather Prediction Center guidance continues to suggest rainfall of 1/4 inch locally with some heavier amounts mainly to our northeast.
Once the cold front passes later Saturday night with reduced rain chances, skies will clear with plenty of sunshine and less humid conditions for Sunday into the first half of next week.
Have a good Friday..
Meteorologist Troy Kimmel
Contact me:
[email protected]
http://www.facebook.com/troykimmel
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Updated 845am CT… Friday / 20 April 2018
TODAY…. Partly cloudy. High 73. Easterly wind 5 to 10 mph.
TONIGHT…. Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers and isolated thunderstorms mainly after midnight. A 30% chance of rain; where rainfall occurs, it’ll average less than 1/4 inch. Low 59. East southeasterly wind 5 to 10 mph.
SATURDAY…. Mostly cloudy with numerous rain showers and thunderstorms with an associated lightning risk mainly before 5pm. A 60% chance of rain; rainfall will average 1/4 inch. High 76. East southeasterly wind 4 to 8 mph becoming more southerly by afternoon.
SATURDAY NIGHT…. Mostly cloudy with scattered rain showers and an isolated thunderstorm with an associated lightning risk as a cold front passes around midnight. Rain chances decreasing to 40% in the evening with rain chances decreasing to less than 20% after midnight; rainfall, where it occurs, will average 1/4 inch or less. Decreasing clouds after midnight. Low 56. Southwesterly wind becoming north northwesterly 8 to 15 mph with a few higher gusts by evening as the front passes.
SUNDAY…. Sunshine and less humid. High 77. North northwesterly wind 8 to 15 mph with some higher gusts.
SUNDAY NIGHT…. Mostly clear. Low 53. Northerly wind 5 to 10 mph.
MONDAY…. Sunshine. High 79. Northeasterly wind 4 to 8 mph.
MONDAY NIGHT…. Mostly clear. Low 56. Light northeasterly wind becoming light easterly after midnight.
TUESDAY…. Mostly sunny. High 84. Light westerly wind becoming south southeasterly 5 to 10 mph by afternoon.
TUESDAY NIGHT…. Partly cloudy. Low 59. Light south southeasterly winds.
WEDNESDAY…. Partly cloudy as a cold front passes. High 80. Southerly wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northeasterly as a front passes.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT…. Partly cloudy. Low 56. Northeasterly wind 5 to 10 mph.
THURSDAY…. Partly cloudy. High 80. Easterly wind 4 to 8 mph.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE / 8 TO 14 DAY OUTLOOK
Valid Friday / 27 April 2018 through Thursday / 03 May 2018…
Temperatures… Above Average
Precipitation… Above Average
AUSTIN SUNSET/SUNRISE TIMES…..
Sunrise this morning (20 April)………………………………………. 6:58 am
Sunset this evening (20 April)………………………………………… 8:02 pm
Sunrise tomorrow (21 April)…………………………………………… 6:57 am
Sunset tomorrow (21 April)……………………………………………. 8:02 pm