Tropical Storm Hilary's track into Southern California, Arizona and the Great Basin is governed by an eastward shift of the high pressure dome that has produced extreme heat across the south-central U.S. throughout the summer. That shift is having other effects as well.
Clockwise winds along the rim of the dome are already sweeping Gulf of Mexico moisture across South and West Texas and northward along the Rocky Mountain corridor. Indeed, last evening, a train of thunderstorms, moving south to north, pummeled Metro Denver, producing significant disruption at the International Airport.
Meanwhile, along the southern rim of the dome, east winds will usher a tropical depression across the warm Gulf waters, possibly igniting another Tropical Storm and bringing much-needed rain to Texas. Atmospheric shifts often produce both negative and positive effects, depending on your location.
