South Texas Heat Events and the Appearance of Mexican Plateau Air at the Surface

South Texas is nearly unique in the occasional appearance of Continental Tropical Air from the Mexican Plateau at the surface. Most of the rest of the southern Great Plains experiences Mexican plateau air as an elevated mixed layer which plays a role in convective meteorology. The arrival of Mexican Plateau air has produced high temperatures during the months of November through April that have been unequaled elsewhere in the nation including Death Valley.

A number of examples at the surface and aloft will be presented.