CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Mid-level energy brought clouds to the Coastal Bend today, but significant rain returns to the area Tuesday and Wednesday, then a late-week cold front clears skies for the weekend. As often happens during the early fall, tropical moisture from the Eastern Pacific makes its way across the Sierra Madre and into South Texas Tuesday and Wednesday, coming with Gulf moisture to bring widespread showers and locally heavy rainfall. Tropical Storm Lidia will dissipate over the mountains of Mexico but its moisture will be substantial for us, resulting in 1 to 3 inches of rain. Instability will be marginal, so don't expect thunderstorms, but repeated showers will fill fields and streams.
Temperatures will remain a bit below normal through Wednesday, with cloud cover and precipitation widespread, but heat and humidity return to the area late week ahead of a Friday evening cold front. Expect highs in the 70s to lower 80s Tuesday and Wednesday, warming to the upper 80s to lower 90s Thursday and Friday before dipping to the lower 80s over the weekend. Overnight readings in the 60s and 70s will dip into the upper 50s over the weekend. It appears that conditions will favor excellent viewing of the annular solar eclipse around midday Saturday.