High Pressure Promotes Heat

This weekend was a refreshing change as several downpours danced into the Brazos Valley soaking many areas. Doppler radar estimated totals around 2-3" of rain in a few communities for both Saturday and Sunday combined. However, there a report coming from south College Station on the border with Wellborn confirming 1.20" of rain in a 30 minute period on Sunday. However, those days are gone and the July sizzle came roaring back.

The key reason for the promotion of the abundant sunshine and heat originate from an are of high pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere.

From the arrows drawn on the image above, air tends to flow away and clockwise around the center of high pressure. However, its what happens in the "vertical" (up and down) that tells the true tail of our current stretch of hot weather.

In the "vertical," air tends to sink, or move downward. As this process occurs, air begins to compress, dry, and in turn heats up. Therefore, widespread upper 90s and temperatures are the result of this latest pattern. It all depends on the relationship of low level features teaming up with upper level features that will spell how hot it will actually get. Sometimes, there can be so much "sinking" in the "vertical," that the temperatures can heat up to nearly 110°.

Just know that the weather will be hot right through the weekend and make sure to stay cool as well as hydrated.

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