East Texas Forecast – Warmer Temps, Downpours, and Severe Storms
Deep East Texas is finally emerging from the icebox. The frigid temperatures that gave us one of our coldest Christmas seasons in history are about to be replaced with much warmer conditions. In fact, we will be about 10-15 degrees above our normal temperatures for this time of the year.
Gotta love those East Texas weather swings
In addition to the warmer temperatures, forecasters are expecting the Pineywoods to bear the brunt of a storm system of two over the next week. On Thursday, a big rain producer is expected to move into Deep East Texas and western Louisiana.
The Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma puts the Pineywoods and the Sabine River Valley right in the bull's eye for the possibility of severe storms.
As of now, meteorologists expect any severe storms to be isolated, with strong straight-line winds and small hail as the biggest threats. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see a new map in the next 24-36 hours that upgrades the chances of severe weather as well as the various forms of severe weather possible.
Heavy downpours are also a strong possibility with this next storm system. Rainfall totals of 1.5 to 2 inches should be rather common between Thursday morning and midday Friday.
Another storm system is expected to drop some more downpours on East Texas on the second day of 2023. Overall, the Pineywoods could see 4+ inches of rain from these two events. Plus, there are some early indications that the storms we get next Monday could also be severe.
By the way, one weather model shows the return of polar air to the Pineywoods for the second half of January. We'll see!