More Records Tumble, Severe Threat Here Possible Late Thursday

Today was day 8 above normal/average with 3 more before a weather change arrives.  We just haven't been a little above, but check the graph Zack showed this morning.  We have been stuck in an upper pattern that brings storms down along the West coast into California then across the Southwest and out into the Plains.  That will only slowly change later this week.

Another way of looking at this pattern is on the 500 MB (18,000 ft.) charts.

The energy that produced last night's Oklahoma tornadoes is in the top graphic lifting into Ohio.  Already a new storm is off Oregon.  The middle view is valid for Thursday bringing that disturbance farther to the south near the 4 corners with the bottom valid for late Friday moving into Arkansas.  That might bring some strong storms nearer us as SPC is already outlining.  Zack showed the timing hinting after dark into the overnight hours on Friday.

That should bring us a pattern shift to cooler (not cold) weather for the weekend.

So relief is coming for this early Spring preview, but not right away.

We tied the record by the noon hour and I'm sure NWS will tell us it got hotter.  The next two days will be right there too.

So along with the cooler temperature for Friday & this weekend, the air will be much drier as the humidity is swept away.  Yeah!  Finally...Last night's severe storms came too close for comfort as two of my sons live in Oklahoma.

I got a text from my youngest (Justin) around 10:30 saying they were going into their storm shelter.  As you can see, his two dogs (Booker & Woodford) are covering Ethan.  A reminder all of us need to take these severe warnings seriously.  We have several days to watch our next threat.  I may not post tomorrow as I'm having cataract surgery in the morning.   Stay tuned!