Even, unfortunately, the mistakes are bigger in Texas. Temperature behind last week’s system did not react quite how anyone had anticipated in Dallas. Every outlet thought it would be as cool as freezing, or nearly there on the 18th, last Thursday, and it only dipped as low as 40. This warmer base meant that the high on Friday was also significantly warmer than expected as well, with the midnight high coming in at 45, when nobody expected anything better than the mid-30s. It wasn’t a good forecast, for sure, but The Weather Channel ultimately came away with the top score. Actuals: Thursday – High 58, Low 40 Friday – High 45, Low 26
The weather of Texas isn’t supposed to be like it’s been. Alas, it is January, and we have a robust, strong jet stream leading to an equally strong, robust surface pattern. Let’s continue to discuss.
At 253PM, CT, Dallas was reporting a temperature of 41 degrees with fair skies and a brisk south wind. High pressure has set up in the southeastern US, which is bringing about the southerly flow, however with the strong jet structure, another trough emerging is leading to a transient pattern, and todays blustery conditions. The next upper level trough will have little reflection in terms of a well structured cyclone or precipitation, but the cold air mass will be defined and strong as it presses southward. It will remain dry and snow free in the MetroPlex, however even colder air will head south for the region on Thursday night. Tomorrow – Mostly sunny, breezy, High 53, Low 32 Friday – Chilly in the morning, partly cloudy, High 37, Low 27
TWC: Tomorrow – Partly cloudy skies. High 57, Low 33 Friday – Sunny, High 36, Low 25
AW: Tomorrow – Warmer with plenty of sunshine High 55, Low 30 Friday – Breezy in the morning; otherwise, very cold with plenty of sunshine; after a brief break, very cold air returns High 36, Low 23
NWS: Tomorrow – Sunny, High 56, Low 32 Friday – Sunny, High 36, Low 24
WB: Tomorrow – Sunny, High 51, Low 31 Friday – Sunny, Much cooler, High 36, Low 28
WN: Tomorrow – Mostly sunny, High 56, Low 32 Friday – Sunny, High 36, Low 24
CLI: Tomorrow – Sunny, High 55, Low 33 Friday – Sunny, High 39, Low 23
Brr! That’s a cold Friday for most people, and especially in Texas. At least there isn’t the added challenge of driving in the snow or ice this time around. Clear skies overhead for the Lone Star State at this time.
Before the weekend, we put together a forecast for Dallas that called for increasingly chilly conditions. While the low temperatures didn’t quite bottom out as cold as most outlets feared, the high temperatures were unable to reach even 60 for the entire weekend, thanks to a little wave moving through the Red River Valley. The forecast victory was split between Weatherbug and WeatherNation, who each had their own successful day. WeatherNation was nearly perfect on Saturday, while Weatherbug was far better than other comers on Sunday. Actuals: Saturday: High 59, Low 43 Sunday: High 58, Low 38
Honestly, is there anything better than referring to an entire region as “The Metroplex?” I’m not sure there is. It sounds so futuristic.
At 853PM, CT, Dallas was reporting a temperature of 50 degrees with fair skies. There was a strong cold front trailed along the Gulf Coast which was bringing quite a bit of rainfall east of Texas, but the real story for the week is the strong Arctic trough plunging into the eastern two thirds of the country. A sharp perturbation at the nadir of the jet trough will make for some wintry weather through the southern Plains tomorrow morning, but all guidance seems to agree that Dallas will remain south of the jet stream over the weekend. A few scattered showers may crop up in the Piney Woods, but the Dallas appears to be looking for a dry, cool, windy weekend. Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy early, clearing and breezy, High 60, Low 44 Sunday – Sunny and brisk, High 61, Low 33
TWC: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy early, then afternoon sunshine. High 58, Low 43 Sunday – Partly cloudy skies. High 62, Low 34
AW: Tomorrow – Plenty of Sun, High 56, Low 34 Sunday – Mostly sunny, High 62, Low 33
NWS: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, High 60, Low 40 Sunday – Sunny High 61, Low 34
WB: Tomorrow – Mostly cloudy in the morning, then clearing, High 55, Low 43 Sunday – Sunny, High 56, Low 36
WN: Tomorrow – Partly cloudy, High 60, Low 40 Sunday – Mostly sunny, High 61, Low 34
FIO: Tomorrow – Partly cloudy throughout the day. High 64, Low 41 Sunday – Clear throughout the day. High 61, Low 43
Here is the satellite imagery for Dallas tonight, with the bright clouds over east Texas thanks to the cold front, while the jet itself is represented by the lighter clouds to the north. Keep an eye in Oklahoma for a real mixed bag tomorrow morning!
Tonight we embark on a 1,500 mile trip, from the Pacific Coast to the Big D. What weather will this weekend road trip encounter?? Let’s find out!
DAY ONE
As an upper-level trough shifts through the Pacific NW, an area of low pressure at the surface is developing over western WY and trailing a cold front of sorts back through the Great Basin. Luckily for us, all this activity is going to stay to the north of our Day One travels as we head east out of Oxnard through the northern LA Basin and then eastward on I-10 past Palm Springs and through the desert, eventually ending the day in Phoenix.
DAY TWO
It’s going to be a full day heading east on I-10, and better have those sunglasses because it’s looking like a pretty good day for traveling! There’s a slight chance of a few evening isolated thunderstorms, but those are just expected around the Big Bend area of the TX/Mexico border and should be off to the south of where we end our day in Van Horn, TX.
DAY THREE
I-20 is gonna be our home for the final leg of this stretch. It should be a pretty quiet day as we pass be Odessa, Midland, and Abilene. As we approach our final destination, there could be some widely scattered showers and thunderstorms as the tail end of a cold front shifts through the Red River Valley. Most activity should be off to the north over OK though, so odds are it’ll be a dry evening as we pull into Dallas!