KTIM - FM 89.1

12 hours ago

In this post I'm going to tell you what to look for Wednesday morning that will give us a big clue as to what Bertha will do here on Thursday, and I also want to spotlight again the extreme heat and small chance of severe storms coming our way.

Monitor Bertha's pressure when you wake up in the morning.

If the pressure is 1000 millibars or higher at that 7AM update, then we're looking at the weaker "right side of cone" scenario in my graphic.

However, if that pressure is still hanging around 995 millibars or lower, then we're probably looking at the stronger "left side of cone" scenario with some wind impacts headed to Southeast Texas on Thursday.

Of the four high-resolution tropical computer models we monitor, three of them say the pressure is 1000 mb or higher at 7AM, and they all bring a very weak Bertha into Texas Thursday.

But there is another that insists the pressure will be 995 mb or lower in the morning, and it keeps Bertha's center mostly over water until making landfall Thursday near Matagorda Bay as a compact hurricane.

This remains an unlikely outcome, but one we cannot ignore given the limited time we have left to prepare.

Hopefully we wake up, it's weaker, and we don't have to give that scenario another thought. Either way, we expect at least a chance of rain incoming Thursday.

—Travis Herzog  ... See MoreSee Less

KTIM - FM 89.1

13 hours ago

Let’s talk about our local weather for Wednesday. Before we ever get a drop of rain from Bertha, it's going to get extremely hot.

Even for our standards, it's going to be a dangerously hot day in Southeast Texas.

A record-breaking high of 104° with a heat index as high as 109-115°. Be wise if you have to be outside, especially if doing physical activity.

Then late in the day, a spoke of moisture rotating around Bertha's circulation is going to produce scattered thunderstorms that could produce severe wind gusts over 60 mph. Please remain weather aware! ... See MoreSee Less