Despite the potential for thunderstorms, most areas will miss out on needed rainfall into next week. (Photos.com image)
A pulse of high humidity and building heat will bring the chance of spotty thunderstorms to parts of California and Nevada later this week.
Much of the activity will favor the mountains and high deserts. However, some of the storms will fire over the lower deserts and could even reach some coastal communities and cities at some point late this week into the weekend.
According to Western Weather Expert Ken Clark, "The storms will have a wide variety of characteristics ranging from gusty winds and brief downpours to frequent lightning strikes."
Since the storms are not likely to linger over any one spot for very long, beneficial rain is not expected. However, enough rain and runoff in less than an hour will cause urban and flash flooding on a highly localized level.
Be cautious when venturing into canyons or dry stream beds as a heavy thunderstorm a few miles away can lead to a downstream rush of water.
"Most of the storms will bring little or no rainfall and bring the potential for igniting wildfires," Clark said.
Many areas haven't had rain in months, and the drying, dying brush can easily be ignited.
In some cases, the storms will also kick up dust, which can be a hazard for highway travelers.
"Away from the storms, higher temperatures combined with higher humidity levels will make for substantially more uncomfortable conditions," Clark added.
As a result, AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures will be substantially higher than the actual temperature during the spell which is likely to last into next week.
High pressure that brought weeks of excessive heat and drought to the Plains, Midwest, South and East has shifted its position to the West this week.
The mid- to late-summer phenomenon, known to locals as the monsoon, is getting involved with the system and will generate not only higher humidity to parts of the West, but also spotty thunderstorms.
The position of the high will direct some of the humid air and thunderstorms toward California for a time beginning mostly later this week.
A few spots may begin to be affected by the pop-up storms as early as this evening.
The same high pressure area will work to keep Eastern Pacific tropical systems, such as Emilia, away from the West Coast.
July 10 marks the anniversary of the hottest temperature ever recorded in the United States.
The focus for severe storms will move into the Ohio Valley and resume over New York state on Wednesday.
So far this year California has seen 1,569 wildfires, 85 percent more than in an average year.
The Memorial Day weekend will begin cool, windy and rainy in New England and part of the mid-Atlantic.
GOES-East failed again late Tuesday. It is one of the main satellites meteorologists use for the eastern part of the United States and the tropical Atlantic.
The tornado tore through a path 17 miles long on Monday and had wind speeds as high as 200 mph.
On the two-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that leveled Joplin, Mo., the town has deployed assistance to Moore, Okla.
| Extreme | Location | |
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Sichuan Province China (1986)
More than 35,000 homes and 7,700 acres of
crops were destroyed by a devastating
hailstorm. Reports indicated that 100 people
were killed and 9,000 injured. (Reports vary
as to the exact date of the hailstorm.)
Southwestern & Central OK (1996)
Sinking air from dying thunderstorms cause
unusual late night rise in temperature. Many
places rose from upper 80s at 11:00PM to near
100 degrees by 3:00AM.
San Antonio, TX (1998)
Very dry since April 1st - only 0.05 of rain.
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