First Alert Weather Extra

The hottest week of the summer, so far, is upon us as highs each day will be in the triple digits. Heat Advisories and Excessive/Extreme Heat Warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service. There are low-end (10-20%) chances for rain in the forecast off and on over the next 7 to 10 days. Tuesday afternoon and evening will have the first chance over the coming days, primarily north of I-20. The next chance will arrive Thursday, with chances continuing into the weekend. The 8 to 14 day outlooks from the Climate Prediction Center favor warmer and drier than normal conditions for East Texas through the end of the month.

 

Today in weather history... On August 17, 1969, Hurricane Camille made a late-night landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi. Wind and storm surge damage was immense in numerous coastal communities. Over 250 people lost their lives. The storm is one of only four landfilling Category 5s on record in U.S. history. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, a hailstorm in Colorado over the weekend left streets impassible, and an update from Hawaii after Lala made a close pass by over the weekend as well. In closing today, our satellite imagery of the day showing Lala bringing strong wind and heavy rain to the Big Island of Hawai’i, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

This weekend will be hot, mostly sunny, and dry across East Texas. There will be a chance for rain near and south of U.S. Highway 190, but any showers and thunderstorms that develop are expected to fizzle out as they move inland. High temperatures this weekend will be in the upper 90s and triple digits; a Heat Advisory will be in effect. Additionally, many East Texas counties are under burn bans, and the fire danger will remain elevated over the weekend. Into next week, the forecast is mostly the same through the middle of the week. By next weekend, chances for rain will return to the forecast as an area of low pressure moves over the Southern Plains and Mississippi River Valley. 

 

Today in weather history... On August 14, 1953, Hurricane Barbara struck North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane. Damage from the hurricane was relatively minor, totaling around $1.3 million (1953 USD). Nine people were killed in the Eastern US and at sea when a small boat sank. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, the preparations taking place in Hawaii ahead of a hurricane, and today is World Lizard Day! Lastly, our satellite imagery of the day showing thunderstorms evolve into an MCS over the Central Plains, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

The short-term forecast remains mostly unchanged from the last several days, hot and mostly sunny afternoons each day for the foreseeable future with only low-end chances for rain. There will continue to be an elevated fire danger given the dry ground and breezy winds. Burn bans are in effect for many East Texas counties, and for those that aren't, it is still against Texas regulation to burn when winds exceed 23 mph. Towards the end of next week, the chance for rain looks to increase slightly, but the chances are still low for now.

 

In the long-range, the Climate Prediction Center continues to highlight warmer and drier than normal conditions for East Texas through the end of the month. Additionally, the risk for rapid onset drought remains a concern. In today's update to the U.S. Drought Monitor, abnormally dry conditions are reflected for a growing portion of East Texas. Moderate Drought remains for areas near I-20 and I-30. For more on the drought situation across the South, I've put the summary from the drought monitor authors below.

 

 

Looking ahead to the fall and winter, we do have some indications on what the seasonal forecasts will be. NOAA announced today that El Niño is strengthening, and there is a high chance of a very strong El Niño during the upcoming fall and winter. Typically, this suggests a cooler and wetter late fall, winter, and early spring for East Texas. The strong El Niño has also played a role in the quiet Atlantic hurricane season to date. Earlier this month, NOAA released an updated hurricane season outlook that has lowered expectations for the remainder of the season. NOAA's outlook calls for El Niño to persist into next spring as well, so we'll also look at what that might imply for spring storms. 

 

Today in weather history... On August 13, 2004, after a rapid intensification to high-end Category 4, Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida near Punta Gorda. With winds up to 150 mph, the storm produced substantial structural damage in numerous communities and took the lives of nine people. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, severe storms moved through the Midwest once again yesterday; we'll have an update on that. Plus, our satellite imagery of the day showing the complete view of the 2026 Eclipse from GOES-East, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

Hot and generally dry conditions will prevail through the end of the week. While very low chances for rain are in the forecast, most of East Texas will stay dry for the next 7 to 10 days. Over the next few days, wind speeds will pick up into the 10 to 15 mph range - this will contribute to a High or Very High fire danger for nearly the entire area. Many counties are under burn bans, but not all counties in East Texas. High temperatures will continue to run above normal through the end of the week and into next. Heat Advisories have been issued and are likely to continue with a heat index forecast to be around 105° for the rest of the week. Towards the middle to end of next week, chances for rain look to increase slightly, but the chances are still low-end. Additionally, the Climate Prediction Center continues to expect warmer and drier than normal conditions for East Texas into the end of the month. New today, Tropical Storm Cristobal formed in the Atlantic. Cristobal will be what we call a "fish storm," meaning, it will stay out over the open ocean and only be a "concern" for the fish. The National Hurricane Center does continue to monitor other areas with medium to high chances of development in the coming days. It is possible Tropical Storm Dolly could form as soon as tonight or tomorrow.

 

Today in weather history... On August 12, 1981, Indio, California (located northwest of the Salton Sea), was impacted by a powerful downburst. Winds as high as 100 mph derailed 20 railroad cars, snapped power poles, downed trees, and destroyed two mobile homes. At least one person was injured. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

This week's weather word is "sonora." A sonora is a summer thunderstorm in the mountains and deserts of southern California and Baja California, Mexico. This definition comes from the American Meteorological Society's Glossary of Meteorology (2026). 

 

Also on today's show, an update on yesterday's derecho in the Midwest and the reason why severe weather warnings were delayed. In closing, our satellite imagery of the day showing the formation of Tropical Storm Cristobal and a solar eclipse, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

Near to above normal temperatures persist across East Texas heading into the middle of August. Daily highs will be in the middle to upper 90s, and lows will be in the middle to upper 70s. Low-end chances for rain are in the forecast at times over the next 7 to 10 days, though rainfall totals will not be high and coverage of showers and isolated storms will be widely scattered. Looking ahead towards the end of August, the Climate Prediction Center is highlighting warmer and drier than normal conditions for East Texas. Additionally, the risk for excessive/extreme heat and the rapid onset of drought will continue through the end of the month as well. Lastly, the National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a few areas in the Atlantic for potential development. One, currently Invest 92L, has been given a high chance of tropical cyclone formation. While this will have no immediate impact on East Texas, this system is worth watching as it is projected to move towards the Caribbean in the coming days.

 

Today in weather history... On August 11, 1999, a tornado tore directly through Salt Lake City, Utah. The rare F2 occurred at over 4000 feet AMSL, killed one person, and injured 80 more. Over $100 million was left behind in the downtown area, making this event the state's most destructive tornado. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, details on an upcoming meteor shower and beach erosion in Southern California. As always, we close with our satellite imagery of the day showing thunderstorms in the Midwest, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

Middle of August heat continues this week with highs each afternoon forecast to reach the upper 90s to 100-degrees. While not unheard of, these forecast temperatures are slightly warmer than the climatological normal value of 96-degrees. Very low chances for rain are in the forecast tomorrow and Wednesday, and it's possible more are added alter this week, to account for the possibility of scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms during the afternoons. Generally speaking, severe weather is not expected, but heavy rain, lightning, and stronger winds gusts will be possible and are hazardous. In the long-range, the Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day outlooks for temperatures and precipitation place East Texas in an area trending warmer and drier than normal for the 18 through 24 of August. Additionally, their 8-14 hazards outlook outlines a risk for drought onset in areas of East Texas where 30-day precipitation totals are running 2 or more inches below normal.

 

Today in weather history... On August 10, 2020, one of the worst derechos in US history ravaged the Midwest. The MCS carved a path from eastern Nebraska to Michigan over the course of ~11 hours. Winds as high as 140 mph produced substantial crop and structural damage throughout Iowa and Illinois. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, new details on continued wildfires and severe weather across the country. Additionally, we'll hear about how some weather apps are impacting businesses in tourism driven areas. Finally, our satellite imagery of the day showing Saharan dust drifting over the eastern Atlantic Ocean last week, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

Hot and mostly sunny conditions will generally prevail for the foreseeable future. There are daily chances for rain in the forecast, but they're all low-end (only 10-20%) each day. Given the time of year, this is not unusual; however, the concern for rapid onset drought will increase through the end of the month. Through the first half of the summer, there was enough rainfall off and on to actually alleviate drought across a large part of East Texas. Now that conditions have mostly been dry for the last couple of weeks, we'll need to be vigilant for drought conditions to return. New today, two East Texas counties (Morris and Panola) issued burn bans, and multiple counties have dealt with wildfires over the last week to two weeks. While there are the already mentioned chances for rain over the next 7 to 10 days, the forecast totals are not high enough to make a significant difference in the realm of drought and fire danger. The Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day outlooks for temperatures and precipitation place East Texas in an area trending warmer and drier than normal for August 12 -18. Additionally, their 8-14 hazards outlook outlines a risk for drought onset in areas of East Texas where 30-day precipitation totals are running 2 or more inches below normal.

 

Today in weather history... On August 4, 2008, a potent derecho tracked through the Midwest. The squall line tore through the Chicago metro while a Cubs game was ongoing, forcing fans to be evacuated. Winds over 90 mph downed hundreds of trees and several tornadoes (up to EF2) were confirmed. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, details on severe weather impacting air travel and a story covering how one Texas zoo is keeping animals cool during the summer heat. Finally, our satellite imagery of the day showing smoky and haze-filled skies over the Pacific Northwest, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

 

Hot and sunny/mostly sunny conditions will prevail through this week as a typical summertime weather pattern sets up for East Texas. Daily highs and lows will generally be close to normal , if not slightly warmer than normal, for the next 7 to 10 days. The normal low and high temperatures for today are 75° and 96°. Low-end chances for rain will also be in the forecast this week as south winds return moisture from the Gulf to the skies overhead. Daily chances will be low for the most part, but the chance for rain does appear somewhat higher for the end of the week and weekend. In the long-range, the Climate Prediction Center 8-14 temperature and precipitation outlooks place East Texas in an area trending warmer and drier than normal for August 1 through August 17.

 

Today in weather history... On August 3, 1864, A Union fleet experienced a waterspout in Albemarle Sound on the coast of North Carolina. No ships were impacted by the vortex. One report in a newspaper said that "it struck out for the land, the water boiling and foaming beneath it". The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, an update on the wildfires that continue to burn in the Pacific Northwest and our weekly Forecast Accuracy Report. Finally, our satellite imagery of the day shows the previously covered wildfires across the Pacific Northwest that have exploded and grown in size, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

 

The two weather headlines of the week continue to dominate our local forecast: heat and Tropical Storm Bertha. What was Tropical Depression Two this time yesterday, strengthened into Tropical Storm Bertha last night. Bertha will continue moving west along the northern Gulf Coast, towards Texas. The impacts from Bertha in East Texas will be minimal. That said, a few showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible later this week thanks to Bertha. That chance for rain will be the only relief from the other "headline" of the week, the heat. High temperatures climbed into the 100s for many locations across East Texas this afternoon for the first time this year. We'll likely see even more triple digit readings tomorrow. A weak front moving through the area will help to lower the humidity and temps some, but it will not be a significant cooldown by any means. Highs look to remain in the upper 90s and 100s through the end of July. The Climate Prediction Center is warning of a "High Risk" for excessive/extreme heat into early August for all of East Texas. 

 

Today in history... On July 21, 1987, a massive F4 struck in northwestern Wyoming. The 1.5-mile wide wedge occurred at an elevation of >8000 ft, making this event the highest altitude violent tornado in US history. Around a million trees were snapped, uprooted, or debarked/denuded. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, updates on severe weather and summer heat that continue across the country. Finally, our satellite imagery of the day showing Tropical Storm Bertha from space, courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.

The hottest days of the summer so far are upon us as the forecast calls for highs around 100-degrees for the foreseeable future. Of course, other than the heat, a brewing tropical storm in the Gulf will be the other top weather story this week. Over the weekend, Tropical Depression Two formed and is likely to become Tropical Storm Bertha by Tuesday morning. At this time, any impacts from this tropical system look to be minimal for East Texas. That said, parts of the area are included in the cone of uncertainty. Please remain weather alert this week and check the forecast at least once a day for any changes that may occur. This does not look to be a significant weather event for East Texas, but the First Alert Weather Team will let you know if that changes. Back to the heat... Highs will be in the upper 90s and 100s for the rest of this week and into the weekend. The only relief from the heat would come from any stray afternoon showers and thunderstorms, which we do have some low-end chances for in the forecast off and on over the next week. Even still, most of East Texas will stay dry.

 

Today in history... On July 20, 2005, Hurricane Emily made a final landfall in northern Mexico as a Category 3. Storm surge destroyed most of Laguna Madre (a coastal fishing community), while heavy wind damage and inland flooding was reported around several other towns. No lives were lost. The daily weather history segments come to us courtesy of the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

 

Also on today's show, some lighthearted stories to get our week started and the satellite imagery of the day showing convection bubbles around "Tropical Depression Two," courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere.