Rain showers ending later this morning, and then come very strong winds

Good morning. A series of steady, but not too threatening rain showers and thunderstorms are moving through Houston this morning.

TODAY

Showers and storms will continue to develop and move from west to east across Houston for a little while longer. The rains should end for the most part by the mid-morning hours. Much of the region should receive about 1 to 1.5 inches of rain through this morning, which is just what we needed after a very dry start to 2016.

Highs today will reach about 70 degrees. By early this afternoon a cold front will move through the area, and we’re going to see some really strong winds as the front moves in this evening and tonight. A gale warning is in effect for the metro Houston area, with gusts as high as 40 mph possible. Low temperatures tonight will fall into the mid-40s, and with the wind it will feel quite a bit cooler once the Sun goes down.

A strong low-pressure system will bring storms into Louisiana and Mississippi later today, and on its backside Texas will see very strong northerly winds. (Weather Bell)
A strong low-pressure system will bring storms into Louisiana and Mississippi later today, and on its backside Texas will see very strong northerly winds. (Weather Bell)

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Rain this morning, and storms are possible Tuesday before big winds Tuesday night

Good morning. We’re starting to see light to moderate rain showers move into the Houston area from the northwest, which is being driven by a weak cool front. More dynamic weather is ahead after that.

TODAY

As the cool front nears the coast it should stall, and we’ll see this rain end during the late morning or early afternoon hours. Highs today should be in the mid-70s as this first front won’t pack much of a punch. Lows tonight will be around 60 degrees.

TUESDAY

Another, considerably stronger cold front will reach Houston sometime during the middle of the day on Tuesday, and this will bring much windier, and cooler conditions. This current of fast moving air in the lower levels of the atmosphere, also known as a “jet,” will also bring the possibility of storms before and during its arrival. While the most favorable conditions will be over coastal Louisiana and further east, Houston may also see a few scattered tornadoes and hail. Rain showers and storms are most likely from Tuesday morning through the early afternoon hours, before ending after the front’s passage. Accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are possible north of Houston, with one-half inch of rain or less closer to the coast.

Severe weather outlook for Tuesday and Tuesday night. (NOAA)
Severe weather outlook for Tuesday and Tuesday night. (NOAA)

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A very “spring” weekend

It was a really nice Thursday in Southeast Texas, but a few hundred miles to our northwest, it was downright summer-like. Amarillo hit the mid-80s, but Kansas stole the show. Garden City, KS hit 89 degrees, Russell hit 88 degrees, and Dodge City hit 87 degrees, all of which likely set new records for warmest February day on record.

Plot of cities that set or approached record temperatures Thursday afternoon. (CoolWx.com)
Plot of cities that set or approached record high temperatures Thursday afternoon. (CoolWx.com)

For us, it’s going to continue warming up, but we will avoid the plague of obscene heat for awhile yet.

TODAY

After some low clouds in parts of the region this morning, we will clear out and enjoy a mostly nice afternoon. Sunshine will help warm us to around 80° or into the low-80s in spots. Dewpoints will hit the low or mid 60s this afternoon, which means you’ll notice the humidity but it won’t feel too oppressive.

3 PM dewpoint forecast for Southeast Texas. (Weather Bell)
3 PM dewpoint forecast for Southeast Texas. (Weather Bell)

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Humid weather ahead, followed by rain on Monday and Tuesday

Good morning. We’re off to a cool start in the mid-40s, but that won’t last. Warm days are coming.

TODAY-SATURDAY

After a cool, dry Wednesday and Wednesday night winds are now moving in from the Gulf of Mexico, and we’ll begin to see warmer and eventually more humid weather. This means we’ll have three mostly sunny days with highs around 80 degrees and lows around 60. Strengthening southerly winds should mean that, by Saturday, conditions are fairly muggy for late February.

Your relative humidity on Saturday morning. (Weather Bell)
Your relative humidity on Saturday morning. (Weather Bell)

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