Bob Peters Forecast

Hurricane Dolly came ashore about 35 miles north of Brownsville just after noon Wednesday, with minimal effects on East Texas weather. The area, in the far northeast quadrant of the storm’s circulation, saw easterly winds at 5- 15 mph which gusted higher during the period of maximum daytime heating.

A feeder rain band moved into the southeastern counties just before noon, and continued moving northwestward across the area up to IH-20, with areal coverage of showers about 10 percent, and amounts light. By 5 p.m., this band of scattered showers had reached a Jacksonville-Carthage line.

Humidities were a bit higher with the Tropical Maritime air associated with the storm. The combination of higher winds and relative humidities lowered temperatures by about a degree below the levels recorded for Tuesaday.

Dolly was forecast to move slowly inland and weaken Wednesday night and Thu-rsday. With the circulation likely to be less tight than on Tuesday and Wednesday, there is another chance for showers in the area Thursday, with coverage likely to run about 20 percent up to the IH-20 Corridor, and the showers most likely southwest of a Tyler-Lufkin line.

Upper air high pressure is likely to build back over the area this weekend. This will largely suppress showers, and send temperatures back into the high 90s beginning Saturday.

Wednesday’s temperatures averaged slightly below Tuesday’s, and were about 2 degrees below normal. Readings on Thursday should run near normal, with a slight rise each day Friday and Saturday.

Low temperatures Wednesday morning were a couple of degrees below Tuesday’s, and were from the lower to upper 70s. Similar low readings are likely Thursday through Saturday.

Afternoon highs were also below Tuesday’s, and were from the lower to upper 90s. Slightly lower high readings are expected over the south Thursday, with a slight rise in temperatures on both Friday and Saturday.

Wednesday’s average relative humidity was 60 percent, with slightly higher values Thursday, and lower values Friday and Saturday.