Hurricane Alex is churning in the Gulf of Mexico, but it can only be blamed indirectly for the rainy weather in Central Texas.

The storm has allowed east winds coming off the Gulf, and those easterly winds mean more moisture for us. More moisture in the air mixes with the afternoon heat, which brews up storms.

Since Monday evening, pockets of thunderstorms have been popping up across Central Texas, said Jason Dunn, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Dennis Cavanaugh, also a NWS meteorologist, said, “It’s nothing real organized. It’s a band of unsettled weather.”

Today, Waco has a 50 to 60 percent chance to see afternoon showers and thunderstorms, Dunn said.

Thursday carries a 50 percent chance, and then the possibility for rain remains but diminishes into the weekend.