Good Friday Morning and congratulations on making it to the end of the work week. I realize some of you don’t work a typical Monday-Friday job so heres hoping its almost your Friday too. Its July in Texas which usually means upper 90s to 100s and no rain in sight. With El Nino in place and staying in place for the remainder of 2015 our weather will tend to be more dynamic at times. We’ve seen that over the past week with flooding rains, severe weather, and even a tornado on Wednesday northwest of Amarillo. Luckily for your neighborhood meteorologist and those who like being outdoors we are going to be in a fairly tranquil pattern this weekend. The monsoon is ramping up in the Southwest USA which will also impact Far West Texas and folks closer to New Mexico.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop late this afternoon and evening across New Mexico and far West Texas towards El Paso. THese storms will gradually move east and possibly impact some of you in the Texas Panhandle, South Plains, and Permian Basin. Storms will weaken late this evening and should stay well west of West-Central and Northwest Texas. The seabreeze may make a comeback today and isolated showers and storms will be possible in Southeast Texas. Remember when Thunder Roars go Indoors and get off the beach for goodness sake. We’ve already nearly doubled our average fatality total from lightning strikes this year. Don’t be the next one to be added to the list. If you can hear thunder you’re close enough to get struck. Make no mistake about it – many of our summer storms are quite electrical and dangerous.

High temperatures will be in the mid 80s across the Texas Panhandle today thanks in part to the storm chances and increased cloud cover. Same story across the South Plains. Lower 90s will be common across the Permian Basin, Big Country, Concho Valley, and Northwest Texas. Mid 90s will be the rule of the day along/east of Interstate 35 and in our major meteropolitian areas. Laredo should top out around 101 degrees today. Temperatures will drop back into the 60s and 70s tonight depending on your location with no real change from previous mornings.

Saturday will be drier across the western parts of our state with a gradual increase in the heat. An area of high pressure will build in next week resulting in increasing temperatures and low rain chances.