Hurricane Alex

A well developed Hurricane Alex this morning on satellite. (NOAA)

Lots to talk about on this short work week across North America. Most people have either Thursday or Friday off for the Canada Day or the July 4th holiday. This morning we are looking at a deepening hurricane approaching the south Texas and northern Mexican coastline. Alex is located about 235 miles southwest of Brownsville at the mouth of the Rio Grande River. The storm has 80mph winds but a lowering pressure to 961mb, which is indicating further intensification. Alex should approach the coast in the warned area late tonight or early Thursday. Hurricane warnings are in effect from Baffin Bay, Texas to La Cruz, Mexico. A tropical storm warning has been posted north of Baffin bay to Port O'Connor and south of La Cruz to Cabo Rojo. Conditions will begin to deteriorate all day today as winds and seas increase along the coast. Heavy rain is expected all along the Gulf coast with 5 to 10 inches forecast and up to 20 inches in northeast Mexico. Flooding is almost certain. Alex will move inland and weaken rapidly, but still produce very heavy rain well into the weekend in Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley. Elsewhere along the Gulf 3-6 inches of rain is expected.

Holiday Forecast
We remain under weak high pressure with moist unstable air at the surface. As the warm June sun warms the atmosphere today and Canada Day, showers and an isolated rumble of thunder will develop by midday with cloudy and breezy weather. The clouds will keep the temperature around 20C region wide today and Thursday. High pressure will build in for Friday and the weekend, and produce hot and increasingly humid weather with temperatures rising into the low 30's by Sunday.