A Chance for Some Light Rain Saturday into Midday Sunday; Sunny and Warm Next Week

Quiet weather and pleasant temperatures are in place as we close out the work week. Some changes in the pattern are forecast as we move through the  Easter weekend and next week. The storm track has temporarily shifted north to the Canadian border, so no severe storms or widespread rain are expected for at least the next week. Temperatures will be noticeably warmer next week.

Sunny and mild weather will be in place today as our region remains under the influence of a large dome of Canadian high pressure. The temperature is expected to warm to around 68-70 degrees. Southeasterly breezes will increase to a range of 10-15 mph this afternoon. Late morning satellite images showed considerable middle and high-level clouds spreading into Texas out of northern Mexico. These clouds will cause a mostly sunny to partly cloudy sky. The sky will become mostly cloudy Friday night. Lows Saturday morning will be in the upper 40s to low 50s.

All eyes are on a weak trough of low pressure that was located Friday morning over central Arizona. This system is predicted to track southeast across southern New Mexico tonight into Saturday morning, reaching Far West Texas late Saturday. The trough is forecast to spread southeast across Central Texas Saturday night into Sunday morning, exiting into the Gulf of Mexico late Sunday.

The approaching trough combined with increasing moisture from the Pacific and Gulf is expected to cause the development of some spotty light rain showers beginning Saturday. Additional light rain showers or sprinkles of light rain are forecast Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. An isolated thunderstorm or two will be possible Saturday night.  The chance for rain should taper off from west to east Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon, with the sky becoming partly cloudy. Rain amounts are forecast to be quite low, with totals through Sunday afternoon staying below a tenth of an inch. A mostly cloudy sky is predicted for Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday morning.

High temperatures will be in the upper 60s Saturday, warming to the low 70s on Easter. Low temperatures Sunday morning will be in the low 50s. Lows Monday morning will be in the mid-50s.

A pattern of morning clouds, mostly sunny afternoons and warmer temperatures is forecast next Monday through Friday as a weak ridge of high pressure in the middle and upper atmosphere spreads over Texas out of the Desert Southwest and northern Mexico.  Expect breezy south and southwesterly winds at 10-15 mph throughout the week.

• High temperatures are predicted to be near 80 degrees Monday, warming to the mid-80s on Tuesday. High temperatures Wednesday through Friday are forecast to be around 88-90 degrees.
• Low temperatures throughout the week are predicted to be in the low and mid-60s.

Few changes in the pattern are forecast for next weekend. High temperatures look to stay near 88-90 degrees.

Looking out into the week of April 12th, forecasts call for the ridge of high pressure over Texas to weaken, allowing for a westerly wind flow to develop from southern California to Texas, to the southeastern states. This westerly flow is expected to cause our weather pattern to become a bit more unsettled by allowing moisture and weak waves of Pacific low pressure to push into Texas. At least a slight chance for showers can be expected. High temperatures are predicted to be mostly in the low 80s.

Several Evening Opportunities to See the International Space Station

If the clouds clear, the International Space Station will be visible across Central Texas every evening through next Thursday. The pass Tuesday night looks to be a really good one! Listed below is the viewing information for Austin. You can find out the information for your specific location by visiting NASA’s Spot the Station website: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov

Have a good weekend.

Bob