Speculating about the weather is practically a sport in North Texas this time of year, but as spring storms begin to take shape across the central U.S., meteorologists say there are clearer signals about what\u2019s ahead \u2014 even if the details remain unpredictable.<\/p>\n
Jesse Hawila, a meteorologist with WFAA, says this year\u2019s severe weather season is shaping up to be fairly typical overall, with some notable early activity in parts of the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Midwest has had an above-average amount of severe weather this season,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
That early activity has been concentrated farther north than usual, in states like Michigan and Illinois, where several tornado outbreaks have already been reported.<\/p>\n
Still, Hawila cautions against reading too much into that pattern.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe weather is very chaotic. It is a fluid medium,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s not a huge correlation between one region\u2019s activity and what another region will see later in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
For North Texas, conditions have been relatively quiet so far but that could change soon.
Longer-range models suggest a shift toward a more active pattern as we head into May, traditionally the peak of severe weather season across the Southern Plains.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you lean in favor of wetter-than-normal conditions in this part of the country, you do have to perk up a little bit,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a chance for severe weather increasing.\u201d <\/p>\n
Hawila says that outlook aligns with broader seasonal signals tied to global weather patterns.<\/p>\n
Beyond spring, the forecast turns toward heat.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll summers in North Texas are hot\u2026 but this one may be particularly hot,\u201d Hawila said. \u201cWe average 20 triple-digit days in a summer. I do suspect we\u2019ll have above-normal triple-digit days this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even so, predicting exactly how the season unfolds remains a challenge, a reality Hawila says people should keep in mind when comparing forecasts to long-range outlooks like the Farmer\u2019s Almanac.<\/p>\n
For now, the message is familiar: stay weather-aware as storm chances increase in the coming weeks, and be prepared for a summer that could arrive with intensity.<\/p>\n
Ron Corning is the host of KERA’s forthcoming talk show, NTX Now. Got a tip? Email Ron at\u00a0rcorning@kera.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n