Rain Chances Linger Another Day In North Texas
TODAY: Partly cloudy | 10-20 percent chance for rain | High 95 | Wind: S 15-20
A batch of moisture and mid level energy is trapped over East Texas today...trapped in a ridge of high pressure that typically brings dry, hot weather. Showers have held together through the overnight hours last night and will continue to do so in spotty fashion through the day today with a little enhancement on coverage with the peak heating today. Calling for a 10 percent chance for rain in the Metroplex with 20 percent chances for areas east.
Of course, the chance of rain is good news since most of North Texas is abnormally dry with western areas in Moderate Drought conditions as scene in the Drought Monitor below. But, this is bittersweet news in the sense that the best rain chances are not for the areas that are pressed the most for rain. The Moderate Drought conditions extend westward from western Parker & Wise counties. Severe to Extreme Drought conditions extend from Breckenridge westward.
The pattern setting up as we go through the rest of the work week and into the weekend does not look to be a simple hot and dry period. The pattern by Friday is illustrated below with the core of heat highlighted in red around the core circulation of the high pressure ridge. When this was over us last week, we hit 104 on Monday and 106 on Tuesday. As you can see, the core is to our north and this is why we are forecasting highs right at 100 and not above.
The pattern shifts into the weekend so that energy and unsettled weather are driven into Texas from the east along the Gulf Coast States. This flow should be pretty moisture rich, therefore humidity should remain high at the very least with more clouds developing in our skies and increased rain chances depending on the specific track that sets up by the weekend. The graphic below depicts the pattern by Sunday afternoon. Right now calling for a 20 percent chance for rain Sunday and Monday.
