As the nation’s eyes continue to focus on the clean-up after yesterday’s massive outbreak of devastating severe weather to our north, a slight risk of severe weather is set to impact central Texas early this week.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Late Monday afternoon, a dry line currently located in west Texas will shift eastward into the western Hill Country.

This boundary of drier air acts to lift the more buoyant moist air in front of it – often acting as a focal point for severe thunderstorm development during the spring and early summer months.

This could lead to an isolated severe thunderstorm in the Hill Country Monday afternoon with large hail and/or damaging winds.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service

Tuesday afternoon and evening, the threat for severe weather will expand eastward to encompass all of central Texas – including the Austin Metro area.

The greatest risk of thunderstorms looks to be Tuesday afternoon in the Hill Country, and Tuesday evening along I-35.

Whether or not these storms will reach the I-35 corridor before they fizzle out after sundown remains in question.

Sunday’s air quality index (AQI) forecast, courtesy of TCEQ

Around this time of year, farmers in Mexico and Central America ignite controlled burns on their cropland to prepare for the next planting.

A deep southerly flow is carrying smoke from those fires hundreds of miles – all the way to central Texas. This is having a visible impact on the air quality around the area.

Saturday, sunshine was filtered by a thick haze over the Austin area. That haze is continuing Sunday morning, as seen below from the KXAN Downtown Cam:

The official Air Quality Index (AQI) across the area Sunday is MODERATE – meaning that people with unusually sensitive respiratory systems (such as those with asthma) should limit outdoor physical exertion until the air quality improves.

According to the official air quality forecast from TCEQ, this smoky haze is expected to linger through Tuesday – when we may finally see a wind shift.

Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast

The National Weather Service office in Fort Worth is still doing damage assessments on the north Texas tornado event earlier this week. Their preliminary tornado count, 16. I’ve posted the latest findings below.

Base Reflectivity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT

Storm Relative Velocity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT

One of the many show-stopping acts in the Grandview Hills Elementary annual talent show

Thursday night, I was privileged to emcee the annual talent show at Grandview Hills Elementary School.

The  theme of this year’s show was “A Night with the Stars” – and the show itself was full of star-studded performances by the school’s talented students.

Highlights included singing, guitar, violin, and group choreographed dances to favorites like the Harlem Shake and Gangnam Style.

An enormous “thank-you” to Dean Slater and Jaymee Pleasant for inviting me to take part in such a fun evening! I look forward to coming out there again soon.

For the past 8 years, NASA astronomers have been monitoring the Moon for signs of explosions caused by meteoroids hitting the lunar surface. “Lunar meteor showers” have turned out to be more common than anyone expected, with hundreds of detectable impacts occurring every year.

They’ve just seen the biggest explosion in the history of the program.

(more…)

National Weather Service meteorologists are currently conducting damage surveys from last nights severe thunderstorm outbreak. The very early data suggests that there were at least 16 tornadoes late yesterday afternoon and overnight.

EF-4 tornadoes contain winds up to 200 mph. EF-3 tornadoes contain winds up to 136-165 mph.

The preliminary damage survey, with details on each tornado, can be found below.

This is VERY PRELIMINARY and it will change.

View Preliminary Track Map in a large map

Base Reflectivity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT	Storm Relative Velocity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT
Base Reflectivity Data from KFWS at 8:58 pm CDT	Storm Relative Velocity Data from KFWS at 8:58 pm CDT
Base Reflectivity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT	Storm Relative Velocity Data from KFWS at 7:58 pm CDT

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
844 PM CDT THU MAY 16 2013

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEYS FOR 05/15/2013 TORNADO EVENT...

...16 TORNADOES HAVE NOW BEEN CONFIRMED. ALL SURVEY CREWS HAVE
RETURNED FOR THE DAY AND SOME OF THEIR INFORMATION HAS BEEN
INCLUDED IN THIS UPDATE...
 (more...)

Montague County Tornado Wednesday Afternoon (KXAS)

A killer tornado touched down in Hood County in North Texas, southwest of the DFW Metroplex around 8 p.m. Wednesday night. By early Thursday morning the death toll had reached six, with at least 100 people injured—25 requiring hospitalization. The cities of Granbury and Cleburne were hard hit, but most of the deaths were thought to have been in the Granbury area. The tornado was reported to be a mile wide near Cleburne.

The tornado was one of several reported touchdowns in North Texas Wednesday, caused by an upper level storm system that was lifting northward into Oklahoma.

Late Wednesday night, the storms developed southwest into the northern Hill Country, prompting Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for San Saba, Lampasas, Llano, Burnet and Williamson counties. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for all of the KXAN viewing area until 6 a.m. Early Thursday morning.

Decreasing clouds and very warm temperatures are forecast Thursday, with temperatures climbing to the upper 80s. High temperatures in the low-to-mid 90s are forecast Friday, with readings remaining near or above 90 degrees through the weekend.