The first weekend of the hurricane season is quiet after tropical storms Alberto and Beryl formed a few weeks ago. Alberto and Beryl formed early almost in the same area. Beryl was the big rain maker flooding portions of Florida and Georgia before the storm weakened and moved off shore.
Last year we were a month into the season before tropical storm Arlene formed. Only three cyclones made landfall on the U.S. mainland. Tropical storm Don took on the drought in South Texas and lost. Tropical storm Lee drifted into Louisiana and brought heavy flooding rains inland. Hurricane Irene made three separate landfalls. The first was as a category one hurricane on Cape Lookout, N.C., the second on the New Jersey shores and finally Conni Island, N.Y..
This week a tropical wave near the Yucatan peninsula is the biggest trouble maker. Later this week tropical moisture associated with this wave will push into the state. Two separate events will enhance our rain chances. An upper low pressure system will migrate out of Mexico into Texas. An approaching cool front will also help wring out some of the moisture as rain onto the local metro area. All of this will begin around Wednesday and could continue well into Friday. Due to weak upper level steering currents, the rain may linger and cause localized flooding. The best news is areas of the state that are still recovering from the drought will likely get the heaviest rain.
