ABC-7 First Alert Continues: A Moisture Surge Brings Stormy Weather to El Paso

A very moist weather pattern is settling in across the Borderland, setting the stage for several days of showers and thunderstorms across the region.

For El Paso and the surrounding Borderland, that means an increasingly active weather pattern.

A series of disturbances moving north from Mexico will interact with the abundant moisture, helping spark scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. Through Thursday, the best chances for rain will generally favor areas west of the Rio Grande Valley. However, Thursday night through Saturday, the focus is expected to shift eastward, bringing a greater chance for storms across the El Paso area and nearby communities.

Because of the unusually moist setup, it won't take much to trigger a storm. Some areas could see several rounds of rainfall, while others nearby may receive much less. Flood watches have already been extended in parts of the region, and additional areas could be added as the moisture plume shifts east later this week.

There is also a chance for a few stronger storms Wednesday and Thursday, particularly across western portions of the Borderland. As the upper trough approaches, increasing wind shear could support a few stronger or low-end severe thunderstorms. Damaging wind gusts and other isolated severe weather cannot be ruled out.

For El Paso, the wet pattern is expected to continue into Saturday. Then, the weather pattern begins to change.

As the upper trough pushes eastward Saturday, much drier air will quickly move into the region. Rain chances should drop sharply, leading to a noticeably drier stretch for Sunday and Monday.

For now, the message is simple: keep the umbrella and rain gear handy.