Good Tuesday morning, North Texas!
We’re in for another warm, humid, and breezy day across North Texas on this Election Day. Temperatures will climb well into the 80s this afternoon – running above average for early March. A strong south wind will be a noticeable part of the forecast, frequently gusting over 30 mph. That steady southerly flow will act like a conveyor belt, pulling rich Gulf moisture northward and sending humidity levels higher as the day goes on. You’ll definitely feel that mugginess building by late afternoon.
Changes arrive tomorrow as an upper-level storm system swings out into the Southern Plains. As that system approaches, a few showers could develop as early as Wednesday morning, potentially impacting the morning commute. Scattered showers and storms may continue through the afternoon, but our attention really turns to Wednesday evening and overnight.
A cold front pushing in from the north will provide the focus for stronger thunderstorms late Wednesday into Wednesday night. Some storms could become severe. The primary concerns will be hail up to half-dollar size and wind gusts approaching 60 mph. While the tornado threat appears low at this time, it is not zero. This is a good reminder to review your severe weather safety plan and make sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings, especially as we head deeper into spring severe weather season here in North Texas.
The unsettled pattern doesn’t end there. Additional disturbances are expected later this week, bringing increasing rain and storm chances by Friday into Saturday. Several rounds of rainfall are possible, and with humidity levels remaining high, locally heavy rain could develop. That may lead to some flooding concerns in spots before the system finally moves out.
Temperatures will remain above normal through much of the week, with highs generally in the 80s. Behind the late-week system, we’ll see a modest cool-down heading into the weekend, with afternoon highs returning to the 70s – still mild, but a bit more comfortable.
We’ll continue refining the timing and severity details as newer data comes in, so stay tuned for updates. -William
