ABC-7 STORMTRACK WEATHER: RECORD HEAT CONTINUES, RAIN CHANCES RETURN THIS WEEKEND
EL PASO, Texas (ABC-7) — The heat remains the main weather story across the Borderland as a strong area of high pressure stays parked over the Southwest.
For El Paso, that means another day of near-record to record heat, with afternoon temperatures climbing into the triple digits.
WEDNESDAY
The upper-level high shifts slightly west, but it will continue to keep temperatures near record levels.
El Paso will remain hot, with highs again around 100 degrees or slightly above. Most of the day should stay dry.
There is a possibility that a few showers or thunderstorms could sneak into the lowlands Wednesday night, but confidence remains low that measurable rain will make it all the way into El Paso.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY
Rain chances begin to increase late in the week as more moisture works into the region.
Thursday brings a 20 to 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon and evening. Moisture levels will be higher than earlier in the week, but the strong upper-level high will still act as a lid on storm development.
Friday will be similar, with isolated rain and storm chances, although widespread rainfall is not expected.
Temperatures will remain well above average, but we could begin to see a slight decrease from the extreme heat.
THE WEEKEND
The biggest change arrives this weekend.
The upper-level high is expected to weaken and shift east, allowing more moisture to move into the Borderland. That will bring better chances for isolated thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday.
Storm chances increase to around 20 to 40 percent, with the best opportunities during the afternoon and evening hours.
Temperatures will cool slightly, but don't expect a major cooldown just yet. Highs will likely remain above average for late August.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we move from August into September, forecast models continue to suggest that monsoonal moisture could return to the region early next week.
