Is that it for cold air during the Winter of 2022-2023?

Houston’s first nighttime temperature below 50 degrees this winter occurred back on October 19, about five months ago. With Houston now getting deeper into Spring—and June just 72 days away—it is natural to wonder whether this most recent cold spell was the region’s last of the winter.

The short answer, I would say, is no. While we are definitely entering a pattern where warmer rather than colder weather is the norm, we should still see some decently cold weather during the next six weeks. In fact, I think there’s a modest chance that parts of the Houston metro area see sub-50 degree temperatures about eight to 10 days from now.

Tuesday

But not today. The onshore flow is fully in control of our weather this morning, and we’re going to see a gradual rise in humidity until a front on Friday. High temperatures today will be on the order of the low 70s, with mostly cloudy skies. Winds will be out of the south, gusting to 25 mph at times. And low temperatures tonight will not drop far, perhaps only into the upper 60s. A few areas may see some sprinkles later today as a weak disturbance moves through.

Wednesday

Warmer still, with a high temperature of around 80 degrees and continued partly to mostly cloudy skies. Winds will again be gusty of out the south.

Thursday will be fairly warm in Houston. (Weather Bell)

Thursday

This probably will be the warmest day of the week, with highs in the low- to mid-80s. Nights will continue to humid and mild.

Friday

I expect fairly widespread showers on Friday, but accumulations look fairly slight, on the order of one-quarter to one-half an inch of rain for most. At this point I can’t entirely rule out some stronger thunderstorms with the front, but as of now I don’t think there will be too many fireworks with its passage. These showers should end by the afternoon, or early evening hours as a moderate front moves in with some drier air. Highs on Friday will be about 80 degrees ahead of the front, dropping into the 50s overnight.

They won’t last long, but lows on Saturday morning will have a decent chill to them. (Weather Bell)

Saturday

This will be a fine springtime day with sunny skies and high temperatures in the low 80s. The reason we’re going to get so warm right after the frontal passage is that we’re going to see some fairly dry air moving in for a brief period on Saturday. But these winds will turn southerly again pretty quickly on Saturday afternoon or so, and therefore I expect lows on Saturday night to only drop to around 60 degrees.

Sunday

Highs on Sunday will again be in the low 80s, but with more humidity and probably more clouds.

Next week

Monday looks warm as well before another decent front moves in to bring us some days in the 70s, probably. Rain chances look fairly low, and temperatures fairly moderate, for much of next week.

Spring returns after (probably?) the final winter-like weekend in Houston for many months

Good morning! Lows bottomed out in the upper-30s and low-40s across much of Houston this morning, and I think this probably will be our coldest weather until October, or possibly even November in the region. Significantly warmer conditions are on the way after today, with a return to highs in the low 80s by Wednesday or so.

The good news is that the passage of a strong front on Friday, with a combination of winds and rainfall, really helped to knock down tree pollen and mold spore allergies over the weekend. We have definitely come through the worst of the spring time allergy season for oak trees and its messy, yellowish pollen.

Low temperatures on Monday morning are rather cold for late March in Houston. (Weather Bell)

Monday

Today will be our final chilly day, with highs likely only topping out around 60 degrees as a cold air mass remains in place and skies are mostly cloudy. However, change is on the way as winds will shift to come from north-northeast to the southeast. This shift will moderate lows on Monday night, likely keeping most of the region in the low- to mid-50s.

Tuesday

Tuesday will be warmer, with highs generally in the low- to mid-70s, and more partly to mostly cloudy skies. Southerly winds will start to become more pronounced, picking up to 15 or 20 mph. Low temperatures will only briefly drop below 70 degrees in the metro area.

Wednesday and Thursday

These will be a pair of warm days, with highs ranging from 80 to 85 degrees, and partly to mostly cloudy skies. The southerly flow will be really noticeable, with wind gusts up to 25 or even 30 mph due to a fairly steep pressure gradient. Overnight lows in Houston will only drop to around 70 degrees.

Friday

The region’s next front will arrive on Friday, and it should bring a healthy chance of rain showers into the region starting during the early morning hours. Accumulations look to be about one-half inch of rain north of Interstate 10, with lesser amounts to the south, but I would not bank on those amounts just yet. The front is not particularly strong, so high temperatures on Friday will still reach about 80 degrees, with lows perhaps dropping into the upper 50s on Friday night.

NOAA rain accumulation forecast for now through Friday. (Weather Bell)

Saturday and Sunday

The first half of the weekend looks great, with mostly sunny skies and highs of around 80 degrees on Saturday. On Sunday, as the onshore flow resumes, we may see a few scattered showers, although I don’t feel overly confident in the details just yet. Most of next week should see highs in the 70s, with nothing too extreme on the way. Enjoy your springtime weather, Houston!

Sunday is looking downright hot in Houston

Houston will face four more warm days before a cold front arrives on Sunday afternoon or evening to bring a semblance of normalcy back to our weather. Until then the major question mark is just how warm conditions will get on Sunday, just ahead of the front. Some parts of the metro area have a chance to hit 90 degrees for the first time in 2023.

Thursday

Today will be similar to the rest of the days this week, which is to say we’re starting off with a humid morning and some patchy fog in coastal areas. Skies are mostly cloudy this morning, but should give way to partly sunny skies later this afternoon. High temperatures will reach the mid-80s, with light southerly winds.

For those venturing out to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, we again have no concerns for the weather outside. It will be pleasant this evening, with temperatures in the 70s. Winds may gust to about 15 mph. Low temperatures tonight will do their usual thing of late, which means they’ll drop to around 70 degrees, or slightly lower.

Friday

A (very) weak cold front is going to approach our region from the northwest on Friday, and while this will bring storms to the west and northwest of the Houston metro area, I think these showers will die out before reaching Katy or The Woodlands. This front will bring a smidgen of dry air into the area, but it won’t have too much of a sensible effect. The bottom line, I think, is that highs may top out in the low 80s instead of mid-80s, with temperatures Friday night dropping into the mid-60s. Skies will be mostly cloudy.

The HRRR model depicts showers petering out Friday morning as they move into Houston. (Weather Bell)

Saturday

Skies will gradually become partly sunny on Saturday, and this will be a warm day with highs in the mid-80s.

Sunday

This is the first day of 2023 that I would explicitly say is going to be hot. Ahead of the next front we’re going to see a warm westerly flow, and this will be noticeably with gusty westerly winds. Depending on how much sunshine our area sees, high temperatures for some inland areas may hit 90 degrees. A front arrives on Sunday afternoon or evening, and this will (finally?) usher in some cooler and drier air into the region. The front’s passage will likely be dry. Lows drop into the upper 50s.

Forecast for Sunday’s high temperatures in Houston. (National Weather Service)

Next week

We’ll see a few days with partly sunny skies and highs in the 70s, with lows in the 50s next week before a warm-up. Then another front probably will arrive on Thursday or Thursday night, and the good news is that, for now, this one looks like to carry a better chance of rain with it. We’re too far out to parse details, but an inch or so of rainfall sure would be welcome after our recent warm and dry period.

For the time being it will be pollen, rather than precipitation, falling from our skies

Good morning. Houston’s not hot, but definitely not cold, weather will continue for several more days. In the meantime, while we can expect plenty of things to fall out of the sky, rain drops are unlikely to be among them. Instead, we should see the continuation of high season for tree pollen in Houston. It is everywhere in the air at the moment, and this pattern is unlikely to change for at least the next week. As for rainfall, chances may pick up about 8 to 10 days from now.

At Hobby Airport, there has not been substantial precipitation since early February. (National Weather Service)

Wednesday

If you’ve been paying attention to the weather this week, then you have a pretty good idea of what to expect today outside. Coastal areas will see fog this morning. Mostly cloudy skies to start the day may break up just slightly during the afternoon hours to provide a little sunshine. And for most of us, high temperatures will be climbing into the mid-80s to make for a warm day.

If you’re heading to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo this evening, you can once again count on mild conditions. Temperatures this evening will be in the upper 70s, with moderate southerly winds. Rain chances are near zero. Overnight lows in Houston will only drop to around 70 degrees, or slightly below that the further inland one goes.

Thursday

Basically, a carbon copy of Wednesday.

Friday

By late Thursday night or early Friday, a weak—an oh so very weak—front will be approaching the Houston region from the north. It’s going to stall out somewhere, and the models are still a bit uncertain where. At this point, if I’m forced to predict, I’d say it stops north of Interstate 10. The bottom line is that, for now, I’d expect most of the area to see a warm day in the 80s, albeit with a slight 10 to 20 percent chance of rain. Lows on Friday night may drop into the low- to mid-60s for areas north of Interstate 10, due to the influence of the front, but humidity levels aren’t going down very much.

Saturday and Sunday

This will be one of the warmest weekends of 2023 to date. Saturday should see highs in the low to mid-80s with partly sunny skies, with Sunday seeing highs jump into the upper 80s due to a warmer westerly flow. On Sunday you’ll probably also notice the winds out of the west, gusting to 20 mph or higher. At some point on Sunday, perhaps during the afternoon, or perhaps later in the evening or overnight, a more substantial front will work its way into Houston. This one should go all the way to the coast and offshore. Lows on Sunday night will be cooler as a result. At this point the frontal passage looks mostly dry, in terms of rainfall.

Cooler weather finally arrives on Sunday night in Houston. (Weather Bell)

Next week

Said front will give us a few days of cooler, and probably mostly sunny weather to start next week. We’re talking mostly about highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s. After a warming trend, a second front may push into the region by Friday-ish. At this point the models are still holding onto a chance for decent rain accumulations with this front, but since we’re talking about a forecast nine days from now, I would not hold my breath. But golly, we sure could use some rain.