CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The powerful heat dome centered over the Four Corners will keep extraordinary heat and humidity in place through the end of this week across the Coastal Bend, although a few showers will appear this weekend. The upper-level high bridges from the west coast through the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. It is bringing exceptional heat to the Desert Southwest while keeping excessive heat and humidity in the Coastal Bend.
Nevertheless, the location of the ridge will allow a disturbance to move southward out of the mid-Mississippi Valley late this week. That disturbance, when combined with Gulf moisture and a weak tropical wave, will induce isolated showers this coming weekend.
Do not expect any important temperature changes, however, with afternoon ambient temperatures in the upper 90s to around 100 and heat indices between 110 and 120 degrees. Morning lows will remain in the upper 70s. A south to southeast wind will gust in excess of 25 miles an hour at times. Rainfall totals associated with the showers will be less than 1/10 of an inch.
Complicating the weather picture will be the appearance of Saharan dust that will make for hazy skies, eye irritation and respiratory challenges. The dust is expected to thicken later this week, so in addition to the heat and humidity it will justify avoiding extended periods of time spent outdoors. Also, low humidity and gusty winds will elevate wildfire danger over western parts of the Coastal Bend, generally west of Highway 281.
Conditions in the tropics remain non-threatening, for the time being.
