It was a wet and soggy weekend across Central Texas, with waves of showers and thunderstorms moving over the region. Since Friday, much of the area between the middle Texas coast and the eastern Hill Country has received between 1 and 3 inches of rain. Several locations recorded totals between 3 and 5 inches. It is worth noting the rain barely made it into the western Hill Country, as most totals west of a Brady to Harper line were less than a tenth of an inch. The month of May has turned out to be unusually wet, with totals running above-normal, to well above-normal at most locations with the exception of the western Hill Country.
Monday morning’s water vapor imagery showed a plume of very moist air spreading from the western Gulf of Mexico inland to near Houston and up northwest to Dallas/Fort Worth. This is the same corridor of tropical moisture which brought widespread, persistent rain to the Hill Country, Central Texas and the middle Texas coast over the weekend. Although the corridor of tropical moisture has shifted just to our area east, the atmosphere across the middle part of the state remains quite moist and somewhat unstable. As a result, more rain showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast across the region this afternoon and evening. Rain amounts should generally average between a half inch and one inch, with isolated heavier totals. The probability for rain will be near 60 percent. Today’s high temperature is forecast to be near 78-80 degrees.
The National Weather Service has posted a Flash Flood Watch for De Witt, Fayette, Gonzales, Lavaca and Colorado Counties through 10 pm this evening. This area saw very heavy rain last week and over the weekend. Additional rain will runoff quickly, possibly causing flash flooding.
The chance for rain is predicted to decrease to around 30 percent Monday night as much of Monday’s rain activity diminishes. Most totals should average less than a quarter inch.
Periods of rain showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast across the area Tuesday into Tuesday evening as moist, tropical air continues to spread over the area off the Gulf of Mexico. The probability for rain will be near 50 percent. The rain is not expected be quite as heavy as recent days, with most totals averaging near, or less than a half inch. Expect a mostly cloudy sky with the temperature warming to the low 80s. The chance for rain is forecast to diminish late Tuesday evening, followed by a mostly cloudy sky Tuesday night.
The outlook for Wednesday calls for morning clouds, followed by a partly cloudy sky in the afternoon. There will be a 30 percent chance for scattered afternoon rain showers and isolated thunderstorms for locations along and east of Interstate 35. Rain amounts should average less than a quarter inch. It will be warm and humid, with high temperatures in the mid-80s. Dry conditions are forecast Wednesday night.
Mostly sunny, warm and dry weather is forecast Thursday through Friday as a weak ridge of high pressure in the upper atmosphere sets up over Texas. Temperatures both days are predicted to reach the mid and upper 80s.
Looking ahead to the Memorial Day weekend, forecasts call for a chance for showers and thunderstorms Saturday when a complex of showers and storms possibly pushes southeast out of Northwest Texas. At this point, the probability for rain will be around 30 percent, with rain amounts averaging between a quarter and a half inch. Should this complex of storms not develop as currently forecast, expect a mostly sunny to partly cloudy sky Saturday through Monday. Daily high temperatures are forecast to be near 88-90 degrees.
The outlook for next week calls for most sunny and dry weather Tuesday. However, there will be a chance for rain showers and thunderstorms in the forecast Wednesday through Friday as large trough of low pressure sets up over the Desert Southwest. High temperatures next week are forecast to be mostly in the mid and upper 80s.
Lunar Eclipse Early Wednesday Morning
Just before sunrise Wednesday morning, May 26th, the Moon will be in total eclipse for the first time in nearly two and a half years. This eclipse will be short and sweet much like the total solar variety, with the Moon spending just 15.9 minutes inside the umbra, Earth’s central shadow.
For the Austin area, the eclipse will begin at 3:47 am, when the Earth’s penumbra starts to touch the Moon’s face. Look for the full moon in the west-southwestern sky. The partial eclipse will begin at 4:44 am, with the eclipsed part of the moon turning slightly red.
Keep in mind, the eclipsed moon will be low in the western sky, not too far from the horizon, so make sure you have free sight to west-southwest horizon.
Total Eclipse will begin at 6:11 am, with the moon turning completely red moon. The maximum eclipse is expected to occur beginning at 6:18, when the moon is closest to the center of Earth’s shadow. The total eclipse will end at 6:25 am. Note, the eclipsed moon combined with dimming near horizon will make the Moon very hard or almost impossible to see at this point.
Finally, check the latest weather forecast. Current forecasts call for the sky to be mostly cloudy Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, and this may hinder or totally restrict viewing of the eclipse. 🙁
Bob
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