The main story for today will be the heat before a cool front arrives with a chance of storms tonight. High temperatures today will only top out in the 70s across the Texas Panhandle, which is pretty cool for summer. South of the Panhandle, I’m afraid folks aren’t going to be as lucky. Temperatures will easily top out above 100 degrees across the Borderland, Permian Basin, Big Country, Concho Valley, Southwest Texas, South Texas, and Deep South Texas. Temperatures in the upper 90s to around 100 degrees are expected in North Texas, Central Texas, and South-Central Texas. Temperatures this afternoon in the 90s are expected across East Texas and Southeast Texas, but with higher humidity values heat index values will easily top out in the 100-110 degree range.

A cool front will move south out of Oklahoma this evening. Thunderstorms are expected to develop in the proximity of that front from the Permian basin east through the Big Country, North Texas, into Northeast Texas. Scattered to numerous showers and storms are expected tonight, especially across North Texas and Northeast Texas. A general one to two inches of rain will be possible, some will see less, some may see localized amounts higher. Storm chances look to continue into at least the first half of Saturday across North Texas, Northeast Texas, and East Texas.

A level 2 ‘standard’ risk of severe weather is in place across parts of North and Northeast Texas tonight. The primary hazard with the strongest storms will be hail to the size of ping-pong balls and localized damaging wind gusts over 60 MPH. Not every storm is going to be severe. A level 1 “marginal” risk of severe storms extends west through the Big Country, Concho Valley, and Permian Basin. It also encompasses parts of Central Texas and East Texas. The relative highest number of severe storms should be in the level 2 risk zone, but stronger storms will be possible in both zones tonight. Storm chances look to continue into at least the first half of Saturday across North Texas, Northeast Texas, and East Texas. Severe weather chances will be lower on Saturday.

Temperatures on Saturday are going to be about 20 to 25 degrees cooler across the northern half of Texas with highs only in the 70s and 80s. For June that’s about as good as it gets. Dewpoint values will also drop off into the 50s, compared to the 70s we have today.