With a dramatic increase in moisture by Tuesday we saw widespread shower and thunderstorm activity Tuesday afternoon and evening. This was welcomed rainfall. Officially at the El Paso International Airport we received .27 inches of rainfall.

The other good part of the increased moisture was we put an end to our string of triple digit temperatures. Just before the moisture moved in we had a high of 106 degrees June 30^th, that being the hottest day so far this year and was our 7^th consecutive day of 100 plus degree weather. For 2012 we now have a total of 18 100 degree plus days for the year, slightly above the average of 15 100 degree plus days in any given year.

As we went into the Fourth of July we got lucky. The atmosphere remained too cool; not reaching the threshold for firing off showers and thunderstorms, so the fireworks shows could go off without a hitch. Later that night, around midnight we did start to see some development of showers and thunderstorms as a result of a disturbance moving through the area. Those showers and storms affecting the El Paso area after about 1am bringing a little more rainfall, with the El Paso International Airport officially receiving .02 inches of rain.

Looking ahead we will see rain chances remain higher for our Friday. By the weekend moisture in the area will begin to shift west leaving us with drier and warmer conditions. But rain and storm chances may once again be on the increase by the middle of next week. This as a weak front moves in from the east bring another surge of moisture into the borderland.