Eric Berger

In brief: Showers and a few thunderstorms return to the forecast today in Houston. A stronger line of storms will move through the area tonight, likely with lightning in the middle of the night. So Christmas morning could start with a bang. Most of the holiday should be fine, weather-wise. Expect mild temperatures for the remainder of the year.

Clouds streets above Houston streets

Tory Gattis sent in the following photos yesterday, which he observed over Midtown in Houston. These are fairly low lying in the sky, so they’re stratocumulus clouds. The straight-line nature of the clouds is colloquially known as cloud streets, and more formally as horizontal convective rolls. The precise reason why they form is actually not particularly well understood, but they sure are pretty to look at. We will see more clouds today, but they are likely to be of a more ominous nature.

Today, tonight, and Christmas

Houston’s weather will turn more dynamic this morning as an upper-level disturbance approaches the area. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible today, with the potential for some slightly more organized activity this evening. High temperatures today will reach the mid-70s, with mostly cloudy skies. Winds will be light, from the southeast. All in all, if you can dodge a few showers and storms, conditions today should not be too disruptive.

However the story could be different tonight, as an organized line of showers and thunderstorms marches down into Houston from the northwest. I expect this line of storms, likely with a fair bit of lightning, to reach areas north and west of Houston (i.e. Katy and The Woodlands) by just before or around midnight, give or take. It should then push through the Houston metro area between midnight and sunrise on Christmas Day. Some of our latest modeling indicates this may be a rather noisy passage, with briefly heavy rainfall and lots of lightning. If Santa’s coming and going doesn’t wake the dogs, these storms probably will. Damaging winds are possible, as well as a slight chance of hail. Most areas should pick up 1 to 2 inches of rain, with some higher bullseyes.

The good news is that the storms should be off the coast and off to the east of the Houston metro area by fairly early on Christmas Day morning. The storms will drag a weak front into the area, so expect high temperatures in the lower 70s on Christmas, with slightly drier air. Some additional light, scattered showers will be possible with partly to mostly cloudy skies, however I think the rain will be over for most. Lows on Wednesday night will drop into the upper 50s to 60 degrees.

Thursday and Friday

The front won’t last long, and with a soggy atmosphere in place expect warm days in the mid-70s to end the holiday week. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, and both of these days and nights will have a decent chance of rainfall. These showers should be less explosive than those expected on Christmas morning, and accumulations far less.

Saturday and Sunday

We should see more sunshine this weekend, although we can’t rule out a few showers on Saturday morning ahead of another weak front. Saturday should be nice, with slightly drier air, and nighttime temperatures falling into the 50s. Sunday should also be sunny, with moderately drier air, and highs in the mid-70s. Rain chances are near zero.

Next week

We probably will see the return of a warmer, more southerly flow early next week. We’ll likely also see a slight chance of showers at well. At some point, perhaps on New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, a much stronger front will arrive. This should bring us seasonal weather for 2025, starting the year off on a winter-like note. Details to come.

Merry Christmas to all!

Please do be aware of the potential for storms tonight and early tomorrow. We’ll be keeping an eye on things, and if they look more dramatic than your typical Houston thunderstorms, we will update the site later today. However, if the forecast stays on track we probably will take Christmas Day off from posting. So please have a wonderful day.

In brief: After a cold, winter-like weekend Houston will now see mild weather for the rest of the year. We’ll also see some rainy days, although at this point Christmas Day itself should be mostly rain free. The overall pattern looks to remain fairly warm until the start of next year, at which point conditions will probably turn significantly colder again.

End of year appreciation

As we near the end of this year, I want to thank everyone who contributes to Space City Weather. I must start with Matt, who has been with me almost since the beginning of the website, and who is the most reliable partner one could ask for. As Space City Weather has grown, Lee has kept us online for the better part of a decade—our server would have drowned during Hurricane Harvey had it not been for him. Dwight is a constant source of advice and support, and ensures we are current on social media. Hussain developed our app almost singlehandedly, and keeps it updated amid constant changes in mobile technology.

Elizabeth, Pat, Megan, and the team at Reliant have backed our site for more than seven years, living up to their name as reliable partners who have enabled us to grow and serve the entire community. Tory and Lauren at Pierpont have been so friendly and helpful (and patient) in promoting the site and supporting events. And finally, dear readers, we have you. Our very most important asset is the trust you hold for our work here. Every morning Matt and I wake up trying to make sure we build that trust, rather than lose it, which is not always the easiest thing to do when predicting the future. So during this holiday season, thank you for believing in us. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays from us, to you!

Monday

After lows generally in the 30s over the weekend, temperatures at sunrise on Monday are in the low 50s for most of the Houston metro area. And this will probably be our coldest morning this week as high pressure has departed the area and we experience a more southerly flow. Rain chances should hold off today, but we’ll see the return of some clouds as winds come from the southeast, perhaps gusting up to 20 mph this afternoon. Look for highs in the mid-70s, with a mild night and lows generally in the lower 60s.

Tuesday

Christmas Eve will be warmish, with highs in the mid-70s and mostly cloudy skies. As moisture levels rise in the atmosphere, a disturbance will bring a healthy chance of rain. Starting in the morning, our weather could turn a little bit gnarly, with enough instability to support some thunderstorms, possibly small hail, and heavy rainfall. Most areas probably will see a few tenths of an inch of rain, but some inland locations may pick up 1 inch or more. Healthy rain chances continue during the overnight hours.

Christmas Day

The stormy weather should move off to the east overnight, although we may see some lingering fog on Christmas morning. The day itself should be nice, with partly sunny skies and high temperatures in the low- to mid-70s. Winds should be light. Lows on Christmas night will fall to around 60 degrees in Houston, with cooler conditions for areas further inland.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday

This period will be warm for late December, with high temperatures in the upper 70s and plenty of humidity. Each day will see rain chances on the order of 30 to 50 percent, and perhaps even higher chances on Thursday and Friday nights. All in all, I expect most of Houston to pick up 1 to 2 inches of rain during this period, with higher isolated amounts. The days won’t be a total washout, but if you have post-holiday gatherings you may need to dodge some showers. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that we do need the rain.

Sunday and beyond

A weak front arrives on Saturday at some point, and this should clear us out. Sunday should be sunny, and cooler, with nights in the 50s. By around New Year’s Eve, or so, a stronger front will arrive to really cool us down for the new year. It’s still too early to have details for the holiday, but the first week of 2025 should be significantly colder, including the potential for a freeze in parts of Houston. We shall see.

In brief: Houston will experience three more days of cooler weather before a warmer pattern sets in, and likely will prevail for nearly all of the remainder of 2024. We’re still anticipating mild conditions on Christmas Day, with the possibility of some showers on Christmas Eve.

Baby, it’s cold outside

For a lot of people, myself included, holiday weather should feel chilly outside. Well, as you’ll see in the forecast below, Christmas Day in Houston is not going to feel like the holidays in the sense that it will not be cold. Conditions will feel rather mild, instead. However we do have some decidedly chilly weather in store for now through Sunday, so if that’s your thing, make plans for some outdoor activities, sweaters, and hot cocoa over the next few days. Speaking of holiday activities outside, a reminder that our longtime partner, Reliant, is known for lighting up the holidays and is bringing you several family fun experiences to check out!

Reliant worked with their friends at Houston Botanic Garden to offer Space City Weather readers a discount code on Radiant Nature tickets. I reviewed my experience at Radiant Nature with my family here, which was quite a delight. For $2 off up to two tickets, use code “RNSCW.” Click here for tickets through the remainder of 2024. Click here for tickets in January and February of 2025.

Additionally, Galaxy Lights, presented by Reliant at Space Center Houston runs through January 5 and with Reliant’s sponsorship of Space City Weather, you can get $5 off your tickets if you use code: GLSCW24!

Friday

Temperatures have generally fallen into the upper 40s this morning, with light winds from the north. Today will be pleasant, with high temperatures reaching the upper 60s this afternoon and plenty of sunshine. We’ll see an uptick in winds this afternoon as a reinforcing cold front arrives from the north, so if you notice some gusts that’s what’s coming in. The front will bring drier air in, and this will help temperatures drop to about 40 degrees in Houston tonight. Conditions will be even colder for far inland areas, so if you’re going to be out and about on Saturday morning bring a jacket.

Saturday

A cold and sunny day. High temperatures may struggle to climb beyond the upper 50s for some locations, but with light winds and sunshine it should not feel all that cold. Saturday night will be chilly again, with lows in the lower 40s in Houston—so a bit warmer than Friday night. But not much.

Sunday

Another sunny day. However, with high pressure departing to the east we’ll start to see winds coming more from the southeast. So daytime temperatures will probably reach the upper 60s, and then Sunday night will be warmer, in the 50s. Some clouds may start to float in as well.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

The period leading toward Christmas Day will bring a warming trend, with highs generally in the lower 70s. With a slightly more unsettled pattern we should see some decent rain chances on Christmas Eve and the night before the holiday. However at this point Christmas Day will probably see partly sunny skies and only a low-end chance for some scattered showers. Anyway, it won’t be too hot, and it won’t be too cold.

Rest of next week

The final week of the year looks to be fairly warm for late December. Generally we probably can expect highs in the 70s and lows in the 50s to about 60 degrees. Some decent rain chances will be in the cards, but I don’t anticipate anything that might bring flooding or that kind of thing. Some sort of front probably will come pushing through right before the end of the year, but whether that’s New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day or something else is hard to say.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

In brief: Houston’s fling with warm, muggy, and at-times foggy weather will end today with the passage of a cold front this afternoon. This will usher in several days of sunny, cooler weather with ample dry air. A warming trend returns next week, but the overall outlook for Christmas Day is mild, with rain chances near zero.

Sea fog

Conditions are ideal this morning for the development of dense fog, and we are seeing just that with light winds and saturated air. Visibility in some locations is as low as one-quarter of a mile, and it is making driving hazardous and slower than normal. And hey, driving in Houston at rush hour is already pretty slow and hazardous, you know? The fog should dissipate by a couple of hours after sunrise, and with drier air moving in this afternoon it will no longer be a concern for awhile.

Wednesday

After the fog clears this morning skies should be partly to mostly sunny, and highs will likely reach at least the lower 70s today with plenty of humidity. The front should push into northwestern regions by around noon today, as a broken line of showers (with perhaps a few thunderstorms). This line will progress rapidly toward the coast, and likely be offshore by the mid- to late-afternoon hours. Gusty northerly winds will follow, quickly dropping dewpoints. Temperatures will fall to around 60 degrees by sunset, and most of Houston will bottom out in the upper 40s by early Thursday.

Thursday and Friday

These will be a pair of fine, clear days with high temperatures in the low- to mid-60s. Winds will generally be light, from the north. Thursday night will again see lows in the upper 40s, but Friday night into Saturday morning will be chillier due to a reinforcing front. Expect some inland areas to reach the mid- to upper-30s.

Saturday

This will be the coldest day of the forecast period, with high temperatures in the upper 50s to perhaps 60 degrees, with plenty of sunshine. Lows Saturday night will drop to the low 40s in Houston.

Sunday

Another sunny day, with highs in the low 60s probably, and a bit warmer conditions Sunday night.

Next week

Most of next week looks warmer, with highs generally in the 70s, lows in the upper 50s, and modestly humid air. The models continue to suggest that some rain will be possible later next week, but for now it very likely will hold off for Christmas Day.