Eric Berger

Chance of heavy rain today, then drier for the second half of the week

As of about sunrise, Houston’s radar is fairly quiet, with just a few showers streaming in from the Gulf of Mexico. However, we expect that to change later this morning, with the potential for widespread showers, and some locally heavy rainfall. After this, we can expect drier weather through the weekend.

Tuesday

There are a few indicators of the easterly flow that’s been piling moisture into Houston during the last few days. The first one is that, if you’ve been anywhere near the coast or bays, you’ve seen water levels a couple of feet above normal. This is just the easterly winds piling water on top of high tide. The second factor is the increased humidity levels of the Gulf of flow. This increased moisture from the Gulf is likely to culminate later today in showers and thunderstorms. We are not too concerned about flooding, but much of the Houston area may well see about 1 inch of rain, give or take. Some isolated areas will almost certainly see more. If there are any concerns later today, rain wise, we’ll be on top of them for you.

Precipitation forecast for Tuesday. (NOAA WPC)

Wednesday

A transition day, as showers end Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Skies should clear out in the morning or early afternoon, with highs in the mid- to upper-80s.

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Scattered, heavy rain showers possible on Monday and Tuesday

Houston had an all-too-brief taste of drier air this weekend, but already humidity levels are rising, and we’re going to see a fairly warm week for early October. Some (perhaps significantly) cooler weather should finally arrive next week.

Monday

As moisture levels rise, we’ll see a chance for scattered showers—with some isolated, heavy rains possible later today, this evening, and during the overnight hours. Most of Houston may just see clouds, but after a sunny, dry weekend the difference in moisture levels will nonetheless be noticeable. Clouds should limit highs to the upper 80s.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Moisture levels will spike on Tuesday, as an easterly flow brings in tropical moisture. Precipitable water levels will rise above 2.0 inches, and this should allow for fairly widespread showers and some thunderstorms. Some of these storms could be pretty heavy, bringing some localized heavy rains. For the most part, I expect people to see 0.5 to 1.5 inch of rainfall, but some areas will see more than this. We are not too concerned about flooding at this time, but will be watching this closely.

Precipitable water values surge to about 200 percent of normal levels for east Texas on Tuesday. (Weather Bell)

Rain chances will continue from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, but then should begin to ebb as moisture levels fall, and high pressure builds. Both days should see highs in the mid- to upper-80s.

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Dry, if not much cooler, air coming to Houston this weekend

I wish I had better news, but the much anticipated cool front seems likely to disappoint most of us. Houston hasn’t had an overnight temperature below 68 degrees in two weeks, but more and more this week’s front looks more like something we’d expect in late August than in late September. That is, while we’ll see a change in wind direction and decreased humidity, temperatures are unlikely to fall much.

Wednesday and Thursday

Atmospheric moisture levels are fairly high across the area, which suggests a better possibility for rain today and Thursday than we experienced on Tuesday. However, conditions aren’t such that we should expect widespread showers or heavy accumulations. For the most part, we’ll just see partly sunny skies and continued warm days with highs of around 90 degrees. Winds shift from southeast to northeast on Thursday, but it will take time for the drier air to work its way into Houston.

It’s a warm morning for late September in Texas. (Weather Bell)

Friday through Sunday

Some slight rain chances may linger near the coast on Friday morning, but for the most part we’re going to see mostly sunny skies as drier air works its way into the area from the north. With mostly sunny skies, daytime highs will remain in the upper 80s, but nighttime temperatures should be a few degrees cooler than we’ve been experiencing.

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So you’re thinking about buying a generator …

This is the third in our series of posts sponsored by Reliant. They’re covering our site for the entire 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, and in return we’re writing a handful of posts that highlight their services to readers. Today’s post relates to your questions and answers regarding choosing a generator.

We’re now three weeks past the storms of Hurricane Harvey, and the rains are still fresh in our minds as we’re thinking about the next time. For most homeowners, the power didn’t go out this time, a real blessing amid the torrential rainfall. The power remained mostly on during Harvey because winds never reached sustained tropical storm speeds in Houston—but for hurricanes making landfall closer to our region that won’t be the case. Therefore, as you’re updating your hurricane survival plans after Harvey, this post will answer some questions you may have if you’re considering a generator.

For Houston residents, our sponsor, Reliant, has the expertise to help take the guesswork out of the process. They can help by providing guidance about the installation process, selecting the right model, the right fuel—natural gas, portable, even solar— and addressing costs. The purpose of this post is to answer some of those questions.

Deciding whether to purchase a generator is a big decision. Here are some tools to help you. (Reliant)

The first step is to request a free assessment. Reliant will come to your home to determine the best generator for your needs, installation location and budget. This is a good time to ask all of the questions you have about the whole process. Here are some of the general installation questions likely to come up:

  • Is my home eligible for a Reliant generator installation? You must own the home and have natural gas line access to the house.
  • Where do you install the generator? Reliant tries to place the unit near the breaker box. If it can’t be installed there, Reliant will work with you to find a desirable location.
  • Will any construction be needed at my home? A concrete slab will be poured, similar to what an outside air conditioning unit sits on. A licensed plumber and electrician will run piping and wiring to connect the generator to the gas line and electrical breaker box. Sometimes these are below ground; sometimes they are attached to the house. All work done complies with building code standards.
  • Who will perform the construction and install the generator? Professional technicians who are licensed, insured and background-checked perform all construction, installation and maintenance.
  • How long does it take to install a generator? From start to finish, it usually takes 5 to 7 business days.
  • Do I need to contact the city about permits for my generator installation? No. Reliant will handle all permitting for you, and notify both the city and your transmission and distribution provider (CenterPoint in Houston) on your behalf.

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