Stormier pattern beginning a return to Lower 48

A pattern realignment is underway as above average temperatures drift eastward across the United States. Although smaller storm risks are immediately ahead, it could be quite active as March ends and April gets going.

Weather Watch

Texas rain. About 2 to 4 inches has fallen since Wednesday from around San Antonio to Corpus Christi and in another zone near the Mexico border. Elsewhere, a lot of 0.5 to 1 inch type of totals. The Weather Prediction Center has coastal South Texas under a Level 3 of 4 flood threat Thursday.

Return of severe weather. A couple areas are at risk for intense storms in the nation’s midsection today. Part of the same jet stream dip that threatened Pacific Northwest severe weather Wednesday, the risk will ramp up as it reaches climatologically favored areas of the South this weekend. A more significant storm looks to follow next week with the potential for additional after that.

Lightning links

State lawmakers are looking to ban non-existent ‘chemtrails.’ It could have real-life side effects.

Firefighters make progress on containing some Carolina wildfires, but others grow.

Thunderstorm Thursday

Severe weather largely failed to materialize in the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, despite a severe thunderstorm watch being issued for most of the area west of the Cascade Mountains.

Even so, storms did fire up, with widespread lightning and some small hail in much of the zone.

The NWS office in Seattle shared the cool shot above of thunderstorms, from Hurricane Ridge, in the Olympic Mountains west of the city. In addition to a bit of storm structure, abundant snow, alpine vistas and undercast fog all mingle to create a spectacular scene.

About

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

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