Local Weather Forecast
Today: Current:87	Thursday: 90/72	Friday: 94/75
Complete Forecast for  Jul 23 2008

A line of showers and thunderstorms should move through East Texas Friday, with the slight risk for severe weather.

A large-scale severe weather event is possible from Southwest Arkansas eastward.

In East Texas, the risk is slight, and lies north and east of a Lafayette, La.-Lufkin Huntsville-Tyler-DeQueen, Ark. Line.

Coverage east of the severe line should run about 60 percent, while coverage to the west of that line will be around 30 percent.

Rainfall amounts east of the severe line should be one-fourth to one-half inch, while to the west of that line; amounts should be between one-tenth and one-fourth inch.

Thunderstorms are most likely in the Tyler area around mid-day.

Thursday was warm and windy in the region, with a wind advisory displayed for the entire area.

Skies were cloudy from just after midnight into early-afternoon, and were partly cloudy otherwise.

Thursday’s temperatures ran about 5 degrees warmer than those of Wednesday, and were about 5 degrees above normal. Friday’s readings should run near Thursday’s, with Saturday temperatures lowering to near normal values, and Sunday temperatures to slightly below normal.

Low temperatures Thursday morning were in the 60s, and were about 10 degrees warmer than Wednesday’s. Friday morning low readings should also be in the 60s, with Saturday and Sunday morning low temperatures in the 50s.

Afternoon highs Thursday were in the 80s, and were slightly higher than on Wednesday.

High readings Friday should be a few degrees lower than Thursday’s because of clouds and showers, with high temperatures on both Saturday and Sunday running in the comfortable 70s.

Tyler’s high temperature of 84 came at 4:50 p.m., following the morning’s low of 66 at 6:11 a.m.

South winds blew at 15-25 mph with higher gusts. Winds Friday should shift from the south into the west by late afternoon, and run in the 15-20 mph range. Winds will go into the northwest Friday night and decrease.

Tyler’s highest sustaining wind Thursday was southerly at 30 mph with a peak gust of 38 mph and an average velocity of 16.9 mph. Wednesday’s average wind velocity was 16.1 mph.

Thursday’s average relative humidity was 68 percent, with higher values likely Friday and lower values Saturday and Sunday. Wednesday’s average was 63 percent.

A trace of drizzle fell at a few locations in the area Thursday morning.

The station pressure stood at 1003.0 millibars At 7 p.m. CDT Thursday. This compares with 1007.4 millibars 24 hours earlier.

Thursday’s weather map showed low pressure over Northwest Texas, pulling air out of high pressure over the Eastern United States.

An upper air storm system was over Northern New Mexico. It should cross the Plains Friday.

A dew point front dropped southwest from the Northwest Texas surface low, and a cold front extended southwestward.

The dew point front could spread a few showers into the area just after midnight Thursday/Friday.

The bulk of the thunderstorms should develop along and ahead of the cold front.

The upcoming weekend should be pleasant and much less humid.

Moisture return will begin Monday, ahead of a storm system forecast for mid-week.

A few showers are possible Tuesday, with Wednesday evening the most likely time for next week’s storm to cross.

The forecast for Tyler and vicinity calls for:

FRIDAY: mostly cloudy, mild and windy, a 50 percent chance for showers and thunderstorms a few perhaps severe around mid-day, high near 80, southwest winds 15-20 mph and gusty during the morning;

FRIDAY NIGHT: partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance for showers and thunderstorms during the evening, cooler, low upper 50s, northwest winds 5-10 mph;

SATURDAY: mostly sunny, pleasant and breezy, high upper 70s, north winds 10-15 mph;

SATURDAY NIGHT: clear and cool, low lower 50s, north winds 5-10 mph;

SUNDAY: sunny and pleasant, high upper 70s, northeast winds 5-10 mph.