Marty’s Saturday Morning Forecast – Busy Weekend Ahead! – 9/1/18

Today: We expect a mixture of clouds and sun this morning with a few showers possible over the southeastern plains, then additional showers and thunderstorms will develop this afternoon. Thunderstorms aren’t likely to be severe for most areas, but stronger cells could produce brief downpours, gusty wind, frequent lightning and small hail. A stronger storm or two could develop near the New Mexico state line possibly producing hail to near an inch in diameter. The air won’t be too hot today with areas of cloud cover and showers and thunderstorms developing fairly early in the day for some areas; expect high temperatures in the 60s and 70s for the mountains, mainly 70s and 80s for the plains although a few spots along the Arkansas River could reach to near 90 for a short time this afternoon.

Tonight: For most areas the showers and thunderstorms should end pretty quickly after the sun sets, but spotty areas may notice a little lightning and thunder as well as some brief rainfall into the night. By tomorrow morning most of our mountain areas will have cooled into the 40s with 50s to lower 60s over the plains.

Extended: It looks as though the weather will remain pretty cooperative for the Labor Day Lift Off events this weekend! Periods of cloud cover as well as scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected through Labor Day. High temperatures through the holiday weekend should remain in the 70s and 80s for the plains, mainly 60s to lower 70s for the mountains. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are still possible for the rest of the work week, especially over and near the mountains, but it doesn’t appear likely that we will receive widespread, heavy rainfall. Afternoon temperatures look to hover near or slightly below seasonal averages for much of next week with highs in the 70s and 80s for the plains, mainly 60s to near 70 for the mountains.