CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A narrow line of showers and t-storms moved in from the west early Monday bringing a few pockets of rain and lightning. The storms weren't classified as severe but behind them, strong wind gusts developed.
Winds peaked at 67 mph in Corpus Christi and near 60 mph in Ingleside, 56 mph in Portland to 50 mph in Port Aransas, causing some power outages.
We normally see strong winds on the leading edge of storms, or with severe thunderstorms (58 mph winds or greater), but Monday morning, the wind came as the rain moved out. This is due to the development of a wake low.
A wake low is a small area of low pressure that forms on the back side of an area of rain, or in its wake.
It forms due to air sinking on the back side of the area of rain. This sinking air warms and becomes less dense. The wake low then causes a pressure gradient to develop between the low and the rain cooled air where the pressure is higher.
This quick change in air pressure causes air to accelerate toward the low, causing strong winds.
Get the latest forecast at kztv10.com/weather. Get a live look at our radar at kristv.com/radar.
