Bob Peters Forecast

The initial rain band from Hurricane Dolly was bringing a few widely scattered showers to the southern counties Tuesday afternoon, with better chances for rain along and south of IH-20 Wednesday and Thursday.

Dolly intensified to a minimal hurricane over the western Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday afternoon. At 4 p.m., her maximum sustained winds were at 75 mph, with additional strengthening likely before landfall somewhere near Brownsville Wednesday afternoon. Her center was about 510 miles due south of Tyler.

The weakening Dolly should move into northern Tamaulipas and northern Coahuila, and dissipate by Friday. Rainfall amounts over Far South Texas, which is in severe drought, should run between 6 and 10 inches.

Over East Texas, amounts should average under one-fourth inch, with a few heavier amounts under the stronger feeder bands Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Areal coverage should run about 50 percent south of IH-20, and under 20 percent north of there.

Temperatures ran near Monday’s, and were about 3 degrees above normal. Slightly lower readings are forecast Wednesday through Friday with the increased clouds and scattered showers associated with Dolly.