Good morning, and welcome to my weekday morning update on conditions ahead for the greater Houston area.
TODAY
It’s a pleasant morning across Houston with temperatures in the low 60s. After yesterday’s breeze the winds have fallen to only about 5 mph out of the north. High temperatures today under sunny skies will climb to about 80 degrees.
In short, it’s going to be spectacular.
THREE DAYS
Wednesday and Thursday will also be sunny, although a bit warmer, with highs in the low- to mid-80s. Nighttime lows should remain in the low 60s.
It’s a cool, gusty morning but the rains have finally ended.
LAST WEEKEND
Houston was a soggy mess, but for a region that generally received 6 to 11 inches of rain we came through the event remarkably well.
Two-day rain accumulations for Houston. Click to enlarge. (HCOEM)
A combination of dry soils and relatively moderate rainfall rates, especially at the beginning of things on Saturday, helped the city’s bayous cope with all that rain quite well.
It was a wet, soggy night in Houston. Several bayous briefly topped their banks, including White Oak near downtown. Several dozen streets flooded. But all in all, for a rain storm that generally dumped 5 to 10 inches across the Houston metro area, most people managed to come through really well.
Only light to moderate rain is falling on Houston this morning as of 10 a.m., and this should come to an end from west to east between noon and about 6 p.m.
As the rains have ebbed this morning the number of road closures has fallen to seven, so it should generally be safe to be out and about later today if necessary.
Although rains during the last two days have been a major inconvenience for map people, that have sapped a severe drought that had been developing over much of Texas. (NOAA)
For the Houston metro area the most significant issues are along the coast, where the remnants of Patricia are kicking up high strong rip tides and pushing water over low-lying areas such as Bolivar Peninsula. Winds are strong too, gusting to over 45 mph along the coast in places like Galveston.
High water — especially near downtown — has caused some 30 road closures around Houston tonight. That’s what 8 to 9 inches of rain in about half a day will do for you. Those who remained at home on Saturday night were wise to do so.
Houston rain totals for the 24 hours preceding 2:30 a.m. Sunday. (HCOEM)
Yet as jarring as the rains have been for some drivers, most Houston residents avoided serious damage from flooding as dry soils soaked up moisture and bayous carried the rest away.
As I write this intermittent heavy showers are still moving across Houston, but the overall trend is one of slow eastward movement of this system.
Therefore, while it seems likely the rain will continue into the middle of Sunday, for most areas there won’t be enough to cause significant property damage.
Houston missed out on some of the very intense rainfall rates that often accompany tropical systems, and whether we can thank the mountains of Mexico for that or the intrusion of some drier air from the west, I doubt few will complain. As for me, I am off to bed, and ready for that pillow.
