In brief: After Houston picked up some needed rainfall over the last two days, we will continue to see shower chances for a few more days. By this weekend we should be sunny and fairly humid. Although it won’t feel quite summer-like, it still will be rather warm for late April.
Much-needed rainfall
After a fairly dry spring so far, nearly the entire Houston metro area picked up at least 1 to 2 inches of rain over the last two days. Some areas received as much as 5 inches. I will make two predictions as a result of this. First, by this weekend, your lawns will start to take on the appearance of a jungle with the combination of rain and sunny skies helping everything to green up and grow rapidly. And secondly, I fear that we’re going to see an outpouring of mosquitoes for the first time this spring. So goes the circle of life in Houston.
Tuesday
With that said, we are not yet done with rain. Overall chances are fairly low today, probably 20 to 30 percent area-wide, although perhaps a bit higher near the coast. Once this morning’s patchy fog gives way, we should see partly sunny skies with high temperatures in the mid-80s. With dewpoints around 70 degrees it will feel fairly sticky outside. Winds will be fairly light, from the south at about 10 mph. If showers do develop, they are most likely during the afternoon or early evening hours. Lows tonight will only fall to around 70 degrees.
Wednesday
A passing disturbance will raise the chance for showers and thunderstorms to at least 50 percent on Wednesday. A couple of readers have asked about timing, but I don’t have a real clear picture. There could be showers at sunrise and near sunset, but at this time the most widespread and organized activity is likely to occur during the afternoon hours with peak heating. Some rain could be briefly heavy, but I don’t expect any severe thunderstorms. With mostly cloudy skies, temperatures should peak in the low 80s. Expect another warm night.
Thursday and Friday
These should be partly sunny and warmer days, with highs in the mid-80s in Houston, and possibly a bit warmer for areas further inland. Both days will have a slight chance of some thunderstorms and rain. Right now I’ll peg those chances at 20 percent, but there remains some uncertainty in the overall pattern.
Saturday and Sunday
The weekend looks warm and mostly sunny, with high temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s and plenty of humidity. Expect modest southeasterly winds of about 15 mph, with higher gusts, on both days, so that will help MS-150 bike riders with a tailwind at times, and a cross-tailwind at other times. It’s about the best you could hope for for a long weekend ride. Unfortunately for IRONMAN participants, dewpoints in the vicinity of 70 degrees will make for a very sticky race. Personally, I find it very difficult to run in such conditions and cannot imagine running a marathon in that kind of humidity. Good luck to all.
Next week
Much of next week looks partly cloudy, humid, and warm with temperatures in the upper 80s. It still appears as though some kind of pattern change is in the cards for later next week, with the return of some rain showers and possibly some cooler and drier air. It’s far too distant to have any confidence in the details, however.
“The mosquito is the state bird of New Jersey.”-Andy Warhol
Mr. Warhol would have never made it in Houston, Texas. Compared to Jersey our mosquitos are like Blackhawk Helicopters!
It’s been an enjoyable spring filled with cooler nights and drier air. No Derecho’s, late freezes or early unbearable heat waves. But I fear that is all about to change. My father used to say that summer starts in earnest here every year sometime in mid May. It’s going to be a long and hot summer. It is every year in H-Town…
NW Houston only got about 1/2 inch of rain Monday morning. This is a good amount for a single rain event.
Related to the comment form Glenn, as a long time resident of Houston, I know that summer starts May 1 and runs through Halloween.
You’re being a pessimist. It’s not uncommon to get decent cold fronts after May 1st and before Halloween. By summer I mean 93+ for the high and below 73 for the low…
About 1/2 of May and at least 1/2 of October most years is not “Summer” in Houston, Texas…
There’s a difference between being pessimistic and being realistic.
It’s hot, and getting hotter. Spring & Fall are diminishing & the summer spectrum has widened to include May & October.
According to the Weather Channel, in the Bush Airport zip code 77032, the forecasted rain will occur sometime in between 12 noon to 5 pm. Of course, conditions are subject to change.
Love the mosquito diagram. 🙁
Eric wrote, “First, by this weekend, your lawns will start to take on the appearance of a jungle with the combination of rain and sunny skies helping everything to green up and grow rapidly”.
Our lawn surrounding the house (who cares about the pastures 👍) has been thick and fluffy with a deep green for over a month now. Have to mow once a week to keep up with the growth.
Maybe 3-4 neighbors this week asked, what’s the secret? Milorganite. it’s rich with nitrogen. Discovered it over 15 years ago from a neighbor in our old Cypress neighborhood. I remember what he said, “the ‘S’ fertilizer is no good, don’t waste your money”.
Sometimes we regret spreading it – it’s not unusual we have to mow every 3-4 days if it rains often 😀
A huge part of the west side got no measurable rain. Isn’t there any hope for more widespread soaking spring rains?
Yes. Spray your water hose up in the air and the water will come back down like rain.
There are two types of mosquitos in Houston. The small ones that fly right through window screens to bite you, and the huge ones that fly right through window screens to bite you.
I have hope…here’s why: The URBAN CORE received just a splash Monday….not even close to filling the gullies. Conversely, HOU now reports normal rainfall YTD after this past storm – following 15 days of drought. Welcome to Houston. Long intervals of no rain, then a lot. But for the next couple of days there will NOT be a ridge aloft and afternoon weather activity becomes a possibility. Then strong ridging and sinking air returns per GFS. However, a cold front is modeled for around Wednesday – Thursday of next week May 1 – with rain. I guess we’ll see if that computer model is any good…
While Houston has gotten a bit of rain these past few days, those of us a bit farther to the northwest (ahem, Bryan/College Station) have all their everythings crossed so as to receive even a bit of rain!
But while we patiently wait, and this being Earth Day, please take heed of the best way to control mosquitoes from all things Nature expert Doug Tallamy and his Homegrown National Park organization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqcDZDNtP-0
Get a bucket, fill it with water and grass clippings, let the adults lay their eggs in it and then put in a BT mosquito dunk. It will kill the larvae that will become adults. It’s a much more targeted approach than blasting chemicals into the air, doing who knows what and certainly not what you think you’re paying for. Thanks y’all.
I sure hope that cap over Houston holds & breaks up that nasty curved arc of storms over central texas that’s headed this way right now 😥