Posted on 04/28/2006 9:58:21 AM PDT by sully777
By AccuWeather.com News Director Steve Penstone
(STATE COLLEGE) - AccuWeather.com is forecasting strong storms will develop over Texas and Oklahoma later today.
The three ingredients necessary for the development of severe weather will be over the Lone Star State today. Southeast winds will bring ample amounts of moist air from the Gulf, cold air will move in behind the system as it heads east, and a powerful jet stream is in place to stir everything together.
The system will rocket out of the southern Rockies and into the southern Plains, and by late afternoon or this evening thunderstorms will develop over western and central Texas. AccuWeather.com is forecasting the heaviest storms will hit the area that includes Abilene, San Angelo, Midland and Odessa. Tornadoes and large hail will be the major threats across the region.
Texas will not be the only target of this massive spring storm. It will be a slow-moving storm, and as a result, heavy rain will fall across the central Plains states. AccuWeather.com is forecasting eastern Kansas and western Missouri will receive 1 to 2 inches of rain, with some localized 4 to 5 inch totals. The constant, heavy rain will lead to flash flooding across the central Plains.
The storm's push to the east will be held up by a blocking high pressure system parked over the Northeast. Most of the Northeast will be dry and mild through the weekend; however, a storm moving into Atlantic Canada could allow for some showers to back into eastern New England late on Sunday.
The ocean system will create some problems along the Southeast coast. Onshore winds will gust up to 40 mph, and the northeast flow will create 10-foot waves and dangerous rip currents.
April has been a very wet month in California, but a major change is in store over the next several days. Already this month Oxnard has recorded six times the average rainfall for the month, while Santa Barbara has received seven times the normal April rain.
The marine influence will bring morning clouds and fog to coastal areas, and daytime highs along the coast will be kept in the 60s; however, the highs will soar into the 80s farther inland in the Central Valley and the 90s across the desert areas. It will also be warm in the mountains, with highs around Lake Tahoe forecast to reach the 60s. The increasing warmth across California will increase the snowmelt from the massive snowpack in the mountains. The California Department of Water Resources reports statewide the water content in the snow pack is running close to 200 percent above normal.
Yeah, when I read "Texas under the gun", I thought hordes of heavily armed drug couriers backed up by the Mexican Army had already crossed the border.
Prayers for those in the path of the storm. For real.
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