Texas Summer - 2013

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

I won't mind in the least if it takes awhile (unless you get your cold winds from Eastern Canada )

[Rgv20]

The Dog Days of Summer definitely has a strong grip in my area.....Had a low of 81 this morning and highs has been 104+ and lows no lower than 78 since July 22. I want Rain!!

[Tireman4]

Ms. Screamer,

You know you "could" move to Texas and have this heat every year. . Yeah RGV, it is really starting grind now. Highs 98-99 until Saturday for us. Lovely. Just freaking lovely.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Ahhhhhh no thank you Tireman!

I just want *some* of your moderated heat (just like you fellows want *some* of our cold come winter.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

[A1A]

I understand that the reason Texas stays so dry for extended periods in the summer is that High pressure just parks itself over the state. I've been looking around for a surface map that shows this, and this Intellicast and NWS doesn't show that, i.e. a H pressure system:

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Sur ... rrent.aspx
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/sfc/90fwbg.gif

Can someone explain this?

[gboudx]

I understand that the reason Texas stays so dry for extended periods in the summer is that High pressure just parks itself over the state. I've been looking around for a surface map that shows this, and this Intellicast and NWS doesn't show that, i.e. a H pressure system:

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Sur ... rrent.aspx
http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/sfc/90fwbg.gif

Can someone explain this?

I'm no expert and may be wrong, but I think you need to look higher up than the surface for the high pressure of death. I believe that the surface can actually show lower pressure due to the rising heat off the surface.

[Ntxw]

Gboudx is right, looking higher up is a good place to start. Generally at 500mb will give an idea. Currently there is a flatter 500mb ridge (594dm) center over TX, it's circled. A hot ridge for the state and will weaken further, but nothing record breaking with lower heights above it. A stronger ridge you will see shoot up much further north and possibly higher heights involved.



This was August 1st in 2011. Much larger ridge centered in the middle of the country and highest heights were in Texas and Oklahoma. We know how that turned out.

[weatherdude1108]

Thank you for the explanation Ntxw! I like the comparison maps. Puts it into perspective.
Even though it is still miserable outside , that makes me feel better.

[Tireman4]

Yeah but 98-99 still is miserable. I get 2011 when it was 105-110, but heck...LOL

[Ntxw]

Yeah even though 98-102 is pretty typical of an early August hot stretch any given summer sure doesn't make it feel any better! I was hoping models would allow that trough to dig right on in with a blasting front, they aren't so happy about it like they were a week ago. They do shift the flat ridge further east which is return flow from the gulf.

Slightly cooler temps/popcorn showers (but more humidity) and a TUTT feature in the northern gulf. Tireman4:" We need change and we need it now!" We'll have to see, I'm not buying what they are selling atm!

[Tireman4]

I read that a disturbance in coming in this weekend, then the blast furnace get going again from August 13-21. I heard, ( Larry Cosgrove) that our relief will not start until September...sigh....

[sleepysilverdoor]

Drove to San Antonio to pick up my friend from out of state yesterday. Halfway through the drive up there, my air conditioner crapped out on me. My friend, who'd never been to Texas before, wound up with his first impression of the state being "massive trucks" and "100+ degree temperatures with no air conditioning for 2 hours".

Nearly ran out of gas too. I hate August in Texas. I hate it hate it hate it.

[Tireman4]

Drove to San Antonio to pick up my friend from out of state yesterday. Halfway through the drive up there, my air conditioner crapped out on me. My friend, who'd never been to Texas before, wound up with his first impression of the state being "massive trucks" and "100+ degree temperatures with no air conditioning for 2 hours".

Nearly ran out of gas too. I hate August in Texas. I hate it hate it hate it.

Your brother in arms ( Pro Met Wxman 57) loves it. Just loves it. I, of course, hate Texas during the Summer. I will admit, August seems to be when Mother Nature really turns the corkscrew of heat on us.

[Ntxw]

There's a been a dip in daily SOI, not quite a big crash yet but it's negative nonetheless, first time in a while. Doesn't work the same way as winter but at least it might bring westerlies. What does this mumbo jumbo mean? Maybe it will influence the pattern to allow some rain soon, We need it.

[Tireman4]

There's a been a dip in daily SOI, not quite a big crash yet but it's negative nonetheless, first time in a while. Doesn't work the same way as winter but at least it might bring westerlies. What does this mumbo jumbo mean? Maybe it will influence the pattern to allow some rain soon, We need it.

As you had mentioned before Ntwx, this version of the High Pressure Ridge of Death ( I still do not know why the The Weather Channel could not name these bad boys....LOL) is not as strong at the 2011 version. That one was just obscene. This one will allow clouds. LOL. I saw a long range forecast of a cool September.

[Ntxw]

]As you had mentioned before Ntwx, this version of the High Pressure Ridge of Death ( I still do not know why the The Weather Channel could not name these bad boys....LOL) is not as strong at the 2011 version. That one was just obscene. This one will allow clouds. LOL. I saw a long range forecast of a cool September.

Yeah this one is actually smaller even than the one last year we had in early August. What's frustrating is that Texas is essentially the island of warmth in the sea of below averages, the nation as a whole is experiencing a very cool August. It's forced our resident ridge to corner up and slowly die over us

[Tireman4]

]As you had mentioned before Ntwx, this version of the High Pressure Ridge of Death ( I still do not know why the The Weather Channel could not name these bad boys....LOL) is not as strong at the 2011 version. That one was just obscene. This one will allow clouds. LOL. I saw a long range forecast of a cool September.

Yeah this one is actually smaller even than the one last year we had in early August. What's frustrating is that Texas is essentially the island of warmth in the sea of below averages, the nation as a whole is experiencing a very cool August. It's forced our resident ridge to corner up and slowly die over us

I know...will it take a cold front to dislodge it? I figure, and I am not a pro, that with the abnormally cold weather across the CONUS, that enough will build up and finally dislodge it. Like Dan Meador used to say, "It only takes one strong one to break the ice and others follow suit".

[Ntxw]

I know...will it take a cold front to dislodge it? I figure, and I am not a pro, that with the abnormally cold weather across the CONUS, that enough will build up and finally dislodge it. Like Dan Meador used to say, "It only takes one strong one to break the ice and others follow suit".

It usually takes a series of troughs to dislodge it and move it, after that the fronts come.

I took a look at the HPC forecasts and models, between them SE Texas is going to be first to see a little change later this week. A TUTT feature is going to bring scattered showers to Houston.

[vbhoutex]

I know...will it take a cold front to dislodge it? I figure, and I am not a pro, that with the abnormally cold weather across the CONUS, that enough will build up and finally dislodge it. Like Dan Meador used to say, "It only takes one strong one to break the ice and others follow suit".

It usually takes a series of troughs to dislodge it and move it, after that the fronts come.

I took a look at the HPC forecasts and models, between them SE Texas is going to be first to see a little change later this week. A TUTT feature is going to bring scattered showers to Houston.

I'll believe it when I see it. Currently under a heat advisory through tomorrow.