Monday, April 29, 2013

Another COLD BLAST Looming

Despite the lack of April showers in the Brazos Valley, surly the May flowers will bloom. Pollen levels have been all over the place over the past month, but a shot of cold air and even a quick splash of rain will ease the pain temporarily.

In the mean time, monstrous thunderstorms roared over the past couple of days from I-10 and points south. Houston had massive street flooding, golf ball sized hail, and even several locations picking up over 6" of rain. San Antonio also picked up wet weather with vivid illuminations, and this afternoon, one thunderstorm dropped a brief tornado just north of Corpus Christi, in Taft, TX. Here in the Brazos Valley, there have been a few isolated pockets of heavy rain, but nowhere near what south Texas has been dealing with. We will see a few more showers, but as the April days wane and May edges closer, the heat and humidity that fueled these storms will be washed away.

Locked up to our north is a cold front that looms and will zero-in to the Brazos Valley later this week.


As of this afternoon, there is very little activity along the front with a few rain and show showers behind the front. However, the bigger story with this will be the cold air behind it. There will be a period of rain and even a few storms when the front moves in Thursday, but once the colder air seeps in, May could begin with record low temperatures.




Not only does the image above illustrate that colder air is poised to head south, this will wipe away the humidity as well beginning Thursday afternoon. Temperatures will struggle to get out of the upper 60s and even low 70s for a few days to come, but the mornings are going to be VERY COLD. So cold, that we might challenge a few record low temperatures.

Record Low Temperatures for Easterwood Airport;

Friday Morning: 45° (1954)
Saturday Morning: 42° (1954)
Sunday Morning: 47° (1953)

Keep the umbrellas handy, as well as a heavy coat, you will need it all this week.

For more news and weather you can log onto: www.facebook.com/plushnickweather or www.facebook.com/KAGSTV. You can also check out our twitter feeds: @KAGSweather and @KAGSnews. Furthermore, you can download our new weather app. Search: KAGS Weather, in the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Possible Severe Weather Saturday

Taking a look at the new computer models, there will be a slight chance of severe thunderstorms Saturday in parts of Texas. I believe that the Brazos Valley will avoid big storms, but I cannot rule out several bouts of rainfall during the weekend.

As of this evening, low pressure with a trailing cold front will move across central Texas and the Brazos Valley tomorrow afternoon.



 
Once the cold front parks across our neck of the woods, disturbances in the upper levels will ride along the front and help to create a few big storms, especially west of I-35 and parallel to I-10.


Surface and upper level data suggests that any storms that crop up will have the possibility to produce: heavy rain, frequent lightning, gusty winds, and large hail. The tornado threat is really not there tomorrow based on the way the winds are aligned. Due to all of the ingredients in play, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman, Oklahoma has outlined portions of the Hill County and east Texas under a slight risk for severe weather.


Again, the Brazos Valley should be spared from big storms, but if you are traveling to the Hill Country stay on top of the weather.

For more news and weather you can log onto: www.facebook.com/plushnickweather or www.facebook.com/KAGSTV. You can also check out our twitter feeds: @KAGSweather and @KAGSnews. Furthermore, you can download our new weather app. Search: KAGS Weather, in the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Quick Cool Down With A Few Spring Spritzes

This up and down weather patter has been driving all of us crazy. Consistency is nice, but also days without humidity too. This afternoon is the low humidity day, but slowly, the Gulf waters will send some uncomfortable conditions our way. Additionally, an upper level disturbance will rotate clouds and a few light showers in our direction. Then guess what.....another strong cold front is in the foreseeable future too.

While the sun is brilliantly shinning overhead today, a combination of and upper level disturbance and high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico. At the moment, an area of clouds resides in north Mexico and south Texas, which is poised to move towards our direction. With the aid of high pressure centered to our east-southeast, this disturbance will move north around the high's clockwise flow. Therefore, overcast conditions with very limited sunshine are in the immediate forecast tomorrow and Friday.


Along with the cloud cover comes a wind directions more from the south, adding humidity and producing several light showers. Expect off and on isolated showers over the course of the next few days, with no washouts expected.



Yet, a strong cold front is in the offing by the middle of next week that could generate stronger thunderstorms and heavier rainfall. Still a bit far out for specifics, but I will keep you in the loop.

For more news and weather you can log onto: www.facebook.com/plushnickweather or www.facebook.com/KAGSTV. You can also check out our twitter feeds: @KAGSweather and @KAGSnews. Furthermore, you can download our new weather app. Search: KAGS Weather, in the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Yucky Humidity For Now, But Cold Air Nears

No matter what your outdoor plans were this weekend, the weather was sensational all across the state. Here in Aggieland, a multitude of events had superior turn outs due to Mother Nature's grand presence. Not only did Johnny Football soar during the Maroon & White Game, the temperatures did as well. Additionally, if you went out to Kyle Field Sunday evening for Film on The Field, you were treated to perfection.

Now, as we began the new work week, you might have noticed the enhanced cloud cover and additional humidity in the air. Additionally, we are battling a pressure gradient between high pressure to our east and a broad low pressure circulation over the Rockies. This "pressure gradient" is kicking up the wind speeds from the south this week. However, once we see a cold front trailing a center of low pressure to our north, the wind will come from a much colder direction.

As of this afternoon, many areas of the Rockies are experiencing light snowfall with the heaviest concentration of heavier snow around northern Colorado.
 
 
Despite the disorganized look of this picture, this broad area of low pressure will hook up with energy in the upper levels to spin up a stronger storm that will generate a storm that will affect most of the lower 48.
 
The following image is a prog of the 500mb level from a weather computer model illustrating where the upper level energy exists that will help amplify this storm.
 
 
The main spoke of energy is highlighted in yellow and orange with an "X" from northern California to the eastern Pacific. Notice how its an elongated feature. By the middle of the week, this feature will move towards the central/southern Plains and concentrate.
 
 
On Thursday, the concentration of upper level energy (spin) will focus to our north and unfold a severe weather outbreak that will span from central Texas towards Iowa. Additionally, its going to be cold enough that heavy snow will fall all over the Rockies and up into the Dakotas.
 
 
Here in the Brazos Valley, Thursday will be the main day where changes occur for us. A cold front will approach us from the parent storm and produce a few thunderstorms during the afternoon hours. A few of these storms could be severe, but the best chance of severe weather will be to our north and east. Once the front moves though Thursday afternoon/evening, the wind will switch from the northwest, shuttling in much lower humidity and much colder air. By Friday, high temperatures will reach the middle 60s, where overnight lows will bottom out in the 40s and 30s!!!!!
 
One week, two seasons. KAGS-HD will keep you in the loop with changing weather conditions.
 
For more news and weather you can log onto: www.facebook.com/plushnickweather or www.facebook.com/KAGSTV. You can also check out our twitter feeds: @KAGSweather and @KAGSnews. Furthermore, you can download our new weather app. Search: KAGS Weather, in the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android.
 

Monday, April 1, 2013

Much Needed Rain For Everyone

Its no joke that everywhere in Texas is thirsty for a large gulp of rainfall. In fact, make that a super large gulp, with no limits on refills. The drought stricken Lone Star State will in fact get what it needs.

Several storms cropped up yesterday, with the bulk of the activity around Houston, San Antonio and deep south Texas. Most storms produced frequent lightning, strong wind, and widespread hail on Easter Sunday. In fact, damaging baseball sized hail fell in Freer, TX which is in Duval County. I don't expect hail that large around here, but severe weather could greet us.

Here is the set up:


Two areas of low pressure will team up to produce widespread heavy rain and thunderstorms for the Brazos Valley. The low-pressure center over Utah is an upper level low, where the other in eastern New Mexico is at the surface. Additionally, the above map indicates a stationary front cutting across north central Texas. Its this stationary front that will act as the path for the surface low over New Mexico. Additionally, a south to southeast wind will help draw in copious amounts of moisture off the Gulf of Mexico, to prime our already loaded atmosphere.

By Tuesday night and towards Wednesday morning, the upper low will move to Oklahoma and Kansas, where the surface low will position itself just west of the Brazos Valley.


Early Wednesday morning, rain will blossom from central Texas to the Gulf coast. Additionally, embedded severe thunderstorms are possible due to several dynamic forces. Primary threats Wednesday morning include: Frequent lightning, blinding rainfall, hail, and even the small threat of an isolated tornado. As the newer models come in tonight and tomorrow, I will have a clearer picture of the timing and threats. Nonetheless, keep the umbrellas close by, as this is going to be a nice event to see. Maybe not the severe weather, but rain is quite welcome.

By the time all is said and done, we could possibly pick up 1" to as much as 3" of rain in isolated locations.

 
KAGS-HD Weather will keep a close eye on this event and keep you in the loop.
 
For more news and weather you can log onto: www.facebook.com/plushnickweather or www.facebook.com/KAGSTV. You can also check out our twitter feeds: @KAGSweather and @KAGSnews. Furthermore, you can download our new weather app. Search: KAGS Weather, in the Apple App Store or Google Play for Android.