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Cooperative travel weather, improvements to Thanksgiving forecast

5 years 3 months 4 weeks ago Tuesday, November 20 2018 Nov 20, 2018 November 20, 2018 6:17 AM November 20, 2018 in Weather
Source: WBRZ Weather

A pair of tranquil weather days is expected prior to the next storm systems. Showers are possible on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

THE FORECAST:

Today and Tonight: Tuesday will bring a nice clear out as surface high pressure builds across north Louisiana and Arkansas. Sunshine will breakout by afternoon with high temperatures about 5 degrees below average for the time of year and in the mid 60s. Skies will stay empty overnight with lows around 40 degrees.

Up Next: The next few weather makers are nondescript and these weaker systems can be a little trickier to forecast.  At this time, it appears that travel day (Wednesday) should be clear locally and around much of the country with exceptions in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest regions. Drivers may find a few light showers along I-10 West through Houston and Eastern Texas late Wednesday.

The next disturbance will then arrive Wednesday night into Thanksgiving morning with isolated showers, especially south of the I-10 corridor. A more potent system will bring more widespread rain and possibly thunderstorms too on Black Friday. Temperatures will generally remain at or below average with highs in the low to mid 60s and lows in the 40s.

Football Forecasts: Both the Bayou Classic and the season finale for LSU will enjoy quiet weather on Saturday. In New Orleans, a partly sunny and seasonable day is expected with pre-game festivities enjoying temperatures in the upper 60s. For College Station, the Tigers and Aggies will kickoff to a temperature in the low 60s beneath partly cloudy skies.

The Tropics: With just under two weeks left in the official hurricane season, all is quiet. No development is expected in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea or Atlantic Ocean.

THE EXPLANATION:

Mid-level moisture will return to the area late Wednesday, as another fast-moving shortwave trough whips through the region. Expect an increase of cloud cover and possibly a few showers overnight into Thanksgiving, primarily to the south of Interstate 10. Since this is a quick hitter, the atmosphere will dry quickly and afternoon sun in likely in many areas. High temperatures through Thanksgiving will be about 5-10 degrees cooler than Monday. Overnight lows will be around 40 degrees for the next two nights. The next in a parade of shortwave troughs will approach the area late Friday, and be east of the area Saturday morning. This system is most likely to bring a batch of showers and perhaps embedded thunderstorms on Friday afternoon. Exact track of an associated surface low will determine if temperatures get close to average or stay a few degrees below. Finally, the strongest in this batch of shortwaves will move across the center of the country on Sunday. With a more pronounced surface low expected to develop and move across Missouri, the trailing cold front will move through the area sometime late Sunday. Normally, this would pose a threat of severe weather somewhere in the lower Mississippi River Valley, but current indications are that moisture availability could be an issue. Much cooler air will arrive behind that boundary on Monday and last into the middle of next week.

--Dr. Josh

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