Matt Lanza

Keep doing whatever it is you’re doing because it’s working. We keep getting extended nice stretches of weather. We are in the midst of one now, and it appears we will have another nice stretch coming to Southeast Texas next week.

Today

This morning is starting off quiet. Watch for perhaps a couple pockets of fog mainly west of the Brazos River. Otherwise, look for decreasing clouds through the morning. The sun will be back out virtually in full by afternoon, and it will be delightful. High temperatures will top off in the 70s, though a bit cooler at the coast.

Weekend

Saturday should be sunny. Sunday should see fair skies but probably a few more clouds. High temperatures will be in the low- to mid-70s on Saturday. Sunday will see onshore flow kick in ahead of our next front, so look for daytime highs to perk up some, possibly approaching 80° in some spots, especially west of Houston.

Morning lows will be in the 40s Saturday morning and mid-50s Sunday morning.

Early next week

Our next cold front (it never gets old saying this) is on the way Monday. While the timing can change, it looks like it will hit Houston in the mid-to-late afternoon. The front will come with scattered showers and thunderstorms but perhaps not the widespread soaking rain we could use. I would anticipate perhaps a quarter-inch of rain, with a few places seeing up to a half-inch or so. We will update you on Monday.

Behind the front, it will turn sharply cooler once more. Look for Monday’s temperatures to start very warm (near 70°), warm into the mid-70s, then crash into the 40s Monday night behind the front.

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Good Tuesday morning, and welcome back to winter. Matt here, filling in for Eric today, and I bring you one of our grayest, chilliest days in a while. By my count, the last time we had a day anything like this was at least back on November 13th, when we stayed in the mid-40s most of the day with clouds and some occasional light rain. Today will carry that vibe.

Today

The front is through, and temperatures have plummeted since yesterday’s record high of 83° at both Hobby and Bush. In fact, we’re into the 50s this morning everywhere except for the immediate coast. Temperatures in the 40s are not far behind.

In addition to chilly temperatures, we’ve got some pockets of heavy rainfall around the area this morning.

The rain is moving fast enough and it’s been dry enough of late that there isn’t any flooding to worry about, but do be prepared to encounter some wet roads and puddles this morning.

Dress warmly today. Periods of rain and occasional downpours will be possible through about midday before we transition to more of a light rain or drizzle, ending in the afternoon. Temperatures will slowly drop from where they are this morning, into the 40s this afternoon. With a fresh breeze out of the north at 15 mph, gusting to 20-25 mph, it will feel even colder.

Tonight & Wednesday

Low clouds should persist into tonight. The combination of lingering clouds and a little leftover wind should keep temperatures a bit above freezing for most areas outside. Look for Wednesday morning lows to bottom out near 40 in Houston, upper-30s in the surrounding suburbs mostly outside the Beltway, low-40s at the coast, and then mid-30s in farther outlying areas. I think even the Metro Houston icebox of Conroe will escape freezing temperatures tonight.

Wednesday will be a fine late autumn slash early winter day. Expect any remaining low clouds to scour out and the sun to take over. Temperatures will warm into the mid- to upper-50s with much lighter winds than Tuesday.

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Quick shout out and thank you to Eric for covering me last Friday so I could go home to New Jersey and visit some family. It was cold up there. Had I still been living there, it would have been fine, but after 10 years in southern climes and this amazing autumn in Houston, my tolerance for anything under 40° is gone. This autumn really has been something, hasn’t it? Eric touched on the dry weather this fall yesterday. Let’s look briefly at daily average temperatures this autumn:

Each time the temperature dips on this chart, it basically indicates that we had a cold front. We’ve had at least 13 of them this autumn. And since mid-October, we have only seen a handful of days with daily average temperatures above 70 degrees. The key this autumn is that the pace of cold fronts has been frequent enough to keep onshore flow rather weak most of the time. So we haven’t had many really muggy days. It’s been virtual Goldilocks weather and one of the nicest seasons I have experienced anywhere that I have lived in my lifetime. And it will continue this weekend.

Today & tonight

Cold front number 14 (at least) of the season will cross through Houston today. We often show you where cold fronts are located based on temperature, humidity, or wind direction change. Today, it’s actually easiest to see the front’s location based on visibility. Ahead of the front, patchy dense fog has developed, especially southwest of Houston or near the water. But you can see roughly where the front is located really well based on where 10 mile visibility shows up.

The timing of the frontal passage now looks to be between roughly 9 and 11 AM from northwest to southeast across the area. There should not be a big temperature drop behind the front, but you’ll notice that any low clouds and fog will be quickly scoured out. The wind will shift and humidity will begin dropping as well.

Skies will full of sunshine this afternoon. Another winner. We will peak in the 70s later today. Drier air behind the front will allow for a cooler night tonight, with nothing worse than a few passing high clouds. Look for lows to drop back into the low-50s, with perhaps 40s in outlying areas.

Weekend

Saturday should see sunshine and a few passing high clouds. Sunday will see some patchy morning fog, then sunshine and some building clouds. Saturday should top off in the mid- to upper-60s, Saturday night will be back in the 50s, and Sunday will be a little warmer with high temperatures in the low-70s. North winds tonight of 10-20 mph will back off Saturday and especially Sunday.

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Brace your sinuses: We will be dealing with some ups and downs over the next 7 to 10 days. We’re about to end one of the “ups” and head into a brief “down” period this weekend, but if you have weekend plans, it looks delightful. As for the forthcoming holiday weekend? I’ll be spinning the wheel of discontent to determine what to forecast for you. Read on.

Today

We’ve seen a few showers pop up this morning across the region. As I write this, some heavier downpours are ongoing from near the Galleria into Spring Branch, lifting quickly southwest to northeast. That will be the story today: A lot of clouds and occasional showers. A thunderstorm will also be possible, especially as the cold front pushes across the area late this morning and early this afternoon.

The HRRR model above depicts the front just southeast of Downtown Houston by 1 PM this afternoon. So look for the front to pass through the region between 11 AM and 3 PM before moving offshore. The temperature drop immediately behind the front will not be too impressive, but it will be noticeable. Look for temps to peak around late morning or Noon in the mid- to upper-70s. We’ll drop into the mid- to upper-60s an hour or two after the front passes by.

Weekend

Both Saturday and Sunday look splendid. Sunshine should dominate, punctuated by a few high clouds. High temperatures will get into the mid- to upper-60s.

Lows tomorrow morning should be in the 40s just about everywhere away from the coast. Sunday morning should bottom out similarly in the 40s to low-50s.

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