Stagnant U.S. pattern: more rain and storms along frontal zone

Daily barrages of rain and storms continue through the weekend along a slow-moving cold front that was draped from the Great Lakes to the Southern Plains on Friday morning. Some smoke is still wrapped up in it in the north while more severe weather is probable in the South. It is also a bit unsettled in the Northeast, especially today and Sunday.

Weather Watch

More storms and rain. The weather pattern entrenched over the United States continues to do its thing. That means more severe thunderstorms and zones of heavy rain focused on the south-central states. Another area of scattered flood risk may develop in parts of New England.

Northwest heat. An upper-level ridge is building into the Pacific Northwest and will deliver hot weather in coming days. A record high in the mid-80s is possible in Seattle on Sunday while temperatures push past 100 in parts of the Pacific Northwest on Monday. For now, the intense heat appears to be a transient affair.

Lightning links

2 hikers die on Maine mountain amid treacherous weather.

Lightning strikes tree behind 6-year-old California girl during storm.

Going, going. Back, back… to Morton.

A big ole dusty wedge tornado passed by Morton, Texas on Thursday. It was one of many produced by a monster supercell that churned across the landscape from eastern New Mexico into western Texas during the afternoon and evening.

There were tornadoes of all shapes and sizes from the storm, but the dust-eating wedge — wider than it is tall — stole the show. At one point it also had a satellite tornado rounding its bigness.

If you’re a tornado watcher like me, you might notice this one looks familiar. Its twin struck the same area in 2022!

About

Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster. Connecting weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

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