CENTRAL TEXAS — In the tropics, the Pacific Ocean remains busy with a tropical depression, Post Tropical Cyclone Lowell and one disturbance. Meanwhile, the Atlantic is acting like the left out sibling with no one to play with. Today marks a new record in the Atlantic basin. It is the latest date without any hurricane development in the Atlantic. The current strong El Nino weather pattern is greatly influencing the busy Pacific season, and the low development in the Atlantic basin.
Here in Central Texas, the September heat remains well above normal through the weekend, and into next week. Typically it's 92 degrees this time of year. Temperatures are expected to run in the upper 90s Friday with feels-like temps around 104 degrees. Saturday we return to 100 degree air temperatures and remain there into next week. Humidity spikes starting Sunday, pumping up feels-like temperatures to 105 degrees or more.
Central Texas received a minimal amount of rain in a few northern and northwestern counties yesterday before a line of storms quickly. The Brazos Valley also picked up some light rain in scattered areas due sea breeze driven storms. The models have been fickle with rain amounts but we do have a slim possibility of getting a little precipitation along the I-35 corridor and east of it.
With the intense heat and very little rain in the forecast, we can expect the drought to worsen. On Thursday, the drought monitor expanded to west of I-35 and jumped into a severe category for many counties. Most of Central Texas remains at a moderate drought level, with only Leon and Freestone showing a couple bulls-eye areas falling back to "very dry" conditions. This was due to intense rain and flooding from Tropical Depression Eduard loading up those areas with 4 to 6 inches of rain. As we move through the week it will be hot and humid with minimal rain chances at best.
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