An area of high pressure that blanketed Southeast Texas in the last few weeks has finally moved to the west, leaving the area susceptible to Gulf moisture coming on shore.

The National Weather Service’s Lake Charles office is predicting that moisture from the Gulf will bring rain to the area at least through the early part of next week.

“It’s going to be a general hit and miss,” Tim Humphrey, NWS meteorologist, said. “Not everyone is going to get rain, but if they do have a shower or thunderstorm move on them, it could be for a period of moderate or heavy rainfall.”

Chance of rain is the greatest this week on Wednesday and Thursday, with a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms forecast for each day. Rain chances will to diminish to 50 percent on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday precipitation is expected to reach a chance of 30 and 20 percent respectively.

While the rain chances are increasing, high temperatures that have plagued Southeast Texas lately will decrease to the lower 90s, thanks to the cloud cover, Humphrey said.

Generally, high temps for this time of year reach the mid-90s. This week they are forecast to be more in the low 90s.

Humphrey said the high-pressure system moving out has returned Southeast Texas to a more normal summer pattern.

A little more than midway through the month of August, 2.28 inches of rain has been recorded at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport.

Since June 10, 10.05 inches were recorded, and 44.03 for the year. As of Monday, the area is .36 inches below the normal for the year.

While there is moisture pulling up from the Gulf, Humphrey said there is no tropical formation threatening the area.

The National Hurricane Center is, however, watching a system out in the Eastern Atlantic, but at this point there does not appear to be a threat to the Gulf.

E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com

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