In brief: With low pressure and plenty of moisture in the atmosphere, expect another wet day for much of Houston. Due to the potential of flash flooding, we are maintaining a Stage 2 flood alert for coastal counties through Thursday night, and a Stage 1 flood alert for areas further inland, including Harris County. This pattern should start to change later on Friday and this weekend. Next week looks sunny.
Thursday
Areas generally to the south and east of Houston have seen 0.5 to 1.5 inch of rain overnight, totals which have mostly been manageable, but which have contributed to waterlogged soils. We are likely to see additional rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall later this morning and into the afternoon hours, with areas closer to the coast continuing to see higher rainfall. For the most part, these showers should be a nuisance rather than a genuine hazard.
However, the atmosphere retains the potential for heavy rainfall through today and tonight. By this I mean some storms could drop 2 to 4 inches per hour, which given our soils will back streets up quickly. Because the potential for these higher rainfall rates is greater near the coast, we are maintaining a Stage 2 flood alert for all coastal counties. Please remain weather aware today, with an eye on the radar. We will update the site this afternoon, if warranted. In this case, no news would be good news.
High temperatures today, due to persistent cloud cover and rain-cooled air, should remain in the vicinity of 80 degrees. This is decidedly not the norm for late July in Houston, and we’ll soon see a turn toward hotter weather. Winds remain light, from the east or southeast, at 5 to 10 mph. Lows tonight will only fall a few degrees from daytime highs.
Thursday night and Friday
Consistent with the pattern we’ve seen in recent days, we may see a lull in showers this evening. However, it seems most likely that we’ll see another round of showers develop near the coast after midnight, and that these will progress northward throughout the morning hours on Friday. I don’t want to jinx anything, but I think this probably will be the last “round” of showers we see from this system as the upper-level low finally lifts out of the area. Accordingly, I expect highs to be a little warmer on Friday afternoon, perhaps reaching the mid-80s.
Saturday and Sunday
Although the threat of heavy rainfall will largely have passed by this weekend, we’re still likely to see mostly cloudy skies with periodic light to moderate showers. High temperatures both days will push into the upper 80s, with a few inland areas possibly reaching 90 degrees.
Next week
Most of next week should yield mostly sunny skies. High temperatures look fairly typical for this time of year, pushing into the mid-90s. At least right now there is not any sign of going much higher than that. In any case, aside from the warm days and humidity, next week should offer a period of relatively calm weather in Houston. Are we allowed to have such things in the year 2024?
If there is a silver lining it is that the rain and cloud cover has kept our temperatures below normal. With that being said the peak of tropical activity is just a few weeks away and with the Bermuda high firmly in place to our east and this year just has an ominous feel to it…
Just looked at MSN weather site – the temperature graph normally looks like a mountain. You know, as the day’s hours pass on, the temps gradually go up, peak, then drop down. This AM, the graph is basically flat, showing temps stuck in the mid 70s throughout the day. Very odd looking for late July.
MSN and Wunderground future radar shows rains lingering, from Corpus all along the coast, past Galveston. And mild rains in the greater Houston area for the next few hours. Seems to be mostly nuisance rains.
So the other sites you mention are in agreement with todays post.. ok?
Yes @Trevor … they seem to all be in agreement.
Up here in Magnolia, it drizzled for about an hour, but it stopped about 30 minutes ago.
Really, REALLY tired of this rain. As some who enjoys being outdoors, this entire summer has been misery with all the rain, mud, and mosquitoes. Can’t wait to be out of this nasty swamp. Just a few more awful months and then I’m never setting foot in this horrid city again.
Rain, or scorching 100 degree heat. Pick your summer poison.
Adam, I have lived here a while and have occasionally experienced that overwhelming desire to get out. Your laments are familiar ground and I’m glad you have a plan. I’m curious about where you are headed but reluctant to ask. If I were to leave, I’d probably head for a place like Sacramento, Salt Lake, Rapid City or Reno. Houston has been very, very good to me though, and I like it here and have no regrets. I’m hoping you’ll post occasionally on SCW to let us know how the weather and climate are in your new region.
I feel confident in my forecast that there are many a SCW reader who will be just as pleased as you when you relocate. I can’t help but remember that saying about the grass not necessarily being greener on the other side of the fence…? In all kindness, though, please always try to remember the blessings that you do have.
I have never read more whining from one person in my life. Trust me your awful few months can’t come and go fast enough for us either.
I agree with another poster, this summer has been more unpredictable as far as planning swim outings, outside activities ..I am very much an outdoors person too..
Lisa, I was out this morning walking in the rain, I love it, much nicer than high 90’s. An outdoor person will be happy to be outdoors no matter the conditions – it’s all part and parcel of life.
A derecho, a hail storm, Beryl, and now “flooding tropical rain” (which had Ch 13 in pre-apocalyptic mode this morning) .
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had enough of this….this…ah…. “stuff”.
Time to live somewhere else.
I am really tired of this weather!!! When are we going to have a peaceful day?? No Rain, No Hurricane, no nothing!!! When??
You forgot “freeze”.
The answer is “probably never”
Yes!!!! Thank You!!!
chuckles
I look forward to the (I’m sure temporary) end of mosquito-geddon. Although I’m not super fond of 110F either. Man, as a native Texan, I’m also looking more and more favorably at Albuquerque – maybe sooner than retirement.
at least the tropics have been calm although the peak of the season is still to come so we’ll see.
Looking at the area to the SW it starting to resemble a tropical depression. Might it have become a storm if it had been further offshore?
I was thinking the same.
I’ll take this nuisance tropical moisture over a actual TS or Hurricane or even the droughts we’ve been cursed with recently. It has been beyond taxing and hard to find a real reason to stay other than the family and community I’ve made here. Ramblings aside, Thanks to the Space City Crew for doing their thing. Much appreciated. Keep up the great work.
This is wonderful weather, in a wonderful place.
Everyone thinks I am being sarcastic, right? Well, I’m NOT. Such an assumption just goes to show what today’s culture has become.
It’s called oikophobia, by the way. Hatred of one’s home. (Roger Scruton, “Green Philosophy”)
I grew up in Wisconsin where the potential for cold and snow lasted from early November (I experienced snow the last weekend of October in college in Nebraska) to May (I experienced 10 inches of snow on May 10th, 1990). As a kid, it was fun because you could do outside things, but it quickly wore on you. When I moved back as an adult, I realized how awful it was. When it’s cold and windy, you can’t put on enough layers to keep warm. That’s why I choose to live in Houston. You don’t have to shovel heat and humidity. Now today, this is perfect. It’s not a constant downpour, just a steady rain to water the grass and plants and the temps aren’t stupid hot….and it’s not humid! No complaints here!
KIAH T/Td at this hour 73/71, KHOU 74/71. That’s the very definition of being humid.
Doesn’t feel humid.
Yes it is, but it’s not a really sweaty humid.
Once again the rains don’t have that oomph, good ol fashion steady rains. This event turned out perfect for the region as all of this is needed rains. Models over doing it.
Once again the rains don’t have that ooph. Just good ol fashion steady rains. This event turned out to be perfect for the region as this is needed rains. Things are greening up more and more, and temps are cool. The models over did it. Overall totals are nice and high but flooding was never an issue.
Be sure you are not mocking the weather gods. The ones around here can be very vengeful.
Is there an echo in here (?)
Anyway, most of any flooding possibilities are focused along the coast. Even the TV weather news channels are stating and showing it.
I am on the coast, no flooding at all. Perfect rain event
Are y’all forgetting about last summer where we had no rain for like 60 days? I’ll take the rain, hold the winds.
Good luck to those who seek higher/dryer climes. Seeing the news about Jasper, Alberta, and the fact is we don’t really have to deal with extreme fire danger. There is no recovery from that – just a total rebuild.
I’ve been toying with the idea of where to move down the road – when the wife and I are ready to do so – and the first thought I have is “how much of a risk does this particular place have regarding wild fire?”
That’s such a prevalent issue really anywhere with rugged hills and mountainous terrain – kind of like the entire Hill Country and Llano Estacado. Fire danger is horrible. One day you live in paradise, the next a blanket of smoke so thick you can’t see, then in the middle of the night you’re evacuating with a suitcase and your family to escape death. That is reality, unfortunately, and more and more places out west will experience this as we progress towards the 2030s.
Tennessee, or nearby, is looking good to me climate-wise. Main hazard is tornados, but I grew up with them. Also some ice storms, but when you are retired, you can just stay home. I’m thinking Knoxville, Spring Hill, or the “almost in Tennessee” cities of Greenville and Huntsville.
That is very true. Even though Tennessee can get very hot at times, their summers overall are much more tolerable than ours. They also get cool fronts off and on throughout the summer months. I’m almost willing to deal with the tornado hazard just to get away from this 6 months a year sauna.
I assume you mean Greenville, SC. I’m originally from there, and yes, it’s a very nice place. They get the best of all 4 seasons (it can get hot, but not for as long and not as extreme as it does here…and it generally cools down to around 66-70 most nights in the summer), their power grid (generation and distribution) is in good shape, and the downtown area in Greenville is a gem. You could do a lot worse for retirement.
Yes, Tennessee and western Virginia have pleasant climates, and some decent sized towns. Knoxville metro is 1,000,000+; North Carolina has some bigger towns in and around the Research Triangle as well. The issue with those areas could still be drought induced wildfire given the terrain. But all signs point to a mass migration towards more hospitable (read: better water infrastructure) than what is present in most of the West. It’ll be a reverse of what occurred in the 1930s.
Mm! Texas red neck culture versus Tennessee hillbilly long johns. Not an easy choice to make.
Well-said. I’m a native of this city, and we moved back here a few years ago. No regrets as in we don’t miss our former city, and love many things about Houston (mostly the family/community). However, not sure how practical living here is long-term given the last few years weather/infrastructure wise.
But when we think of other locations (and we are open!) there are other risks to contend with, without the family/community in place to weather (pun intended) it. Hill Country sounds lovely on many levels, but there’s still the crummy state infrastructure…
Driving to Fredericksburg recently it is tragic how the landscape is being changed drastically with wall to wall vineries with ghastly tasting room architecture, and talk about arid landscape!!!
The Hill Country is nice for about a week, but then life slows to a mules pace and you’ll think you are dead already.
Good point.
The question is “go where”? The physics of climate change is everywhere. All places are connected.
In the past 50 years, Houston has turned into a swampy, slimy rainy mold hole with cardboard box housing. Heat, hurricanes, wind storms now beyond reason. Too much water. Houston’s zone has changed (In its defense, it is a floodplain, built by rivers).
But everything everywhere is turning extreme. Other places have too little water, heat, fires.
Drowning seems less painful than being cooked. Wild fires will make you want to embrace a hurricane. I’ve seen them jump football fields in seconds.
That July 21, 2024 was hottest day ‘ever’ = joke. Maybe by Holocene standards. The earth can go much hotter. If you average out all of the Mesozoic, the mean comes out to around the upper 80°s, lower 90°s, as compared to today’s 67°. Don’t want to think about the Permian before that.
Where to go? I just don’t know. I wish I did.
Houston has always been a swampy place. That’s why the Texas Revolution folks didn’t make it the capital of the Republic of Texas.
I will say, though, that lately the rain seems to come all at once. In between it’s bone dry, at least in summer. Likewise with the cold snaps. It just comes all at once. Weather seems to be getting more extreme all around. I suppose I can at least hope that global warming won’t make the cold snaps worse?
Lol, yes. Insert ‘more’ before swampy.
I do imagine the cold snaps will be worse due to all the imbalance, but I honestly wouldn’t mind one just right now…
Mirabeau B Lamar (probably misspelled his name?) hated Sam Houston so much he moved the capital to a new town out on the edge of the frontier: Austin. At least that’s the story I’ve heard, which is silly, but politics is silly.
The past few years have definitely been more extreme than usual but Texas is no stranger to extreme bipolar weather historically. The 50s was the worst drought decade in the state’s history lasting from 1951-1957. The drought peaked in 1956 and then suddenly torrential rains fell in the spring of 1957 which caused major river flooding across the state.
The Brazos and San Bernard river swelled out of their banks causing major flooding across Brazoria County similar to Harvey. In 1961 we had Hurricane Carla a cat 4 that wreaked absolute havoc in our region. Just a few months later in January 1962, we had a harsh cold snap similar to the February 2021 freeze. This was followed by a significant heatwave and drought which led to many 100+ degree days in August of 1962. I’m only mentioning a tiny fraction of the crazy events that Texas has seen over the century.
The moral of the story is that Texas has always faced periods of brutal weather and it seems to come in cycles that last a few years and then things mellow out a bit for a few years. Hopefully we will start to mellow out the extremes a bit after this year.
I’m a native Houstonian, but both me and my dopamine levels are markedly improved by cold, dry weather. I recently returned from Colorado and boy oh boy what a sweet visit. It’s a personal thing to be sure but when you’re cold, putting on a couple of layers for relief is a great deal more efficient than trying to take off your skin because the heat and humidity is layering YOU.
I wouldn’t be half as bothered by all this rain if the humidity and mosquitoes didn’t insist on tagging along.
Yeah the humidity is like wearing gross clothes that are hard to get off.
Was our high temperature today 78? How close is that to a record low max?
“low max” is a contradiction.
I checked a number of PWSs on Wunderground in our area (Magnolia) and the average was 76°
It’s not a contradiction. A record low maximum temperature is the lowest high temperature ever recorded on a specific date. See: https://www.weather.gov/hgx/climate_iah_normals_jul
Today was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. A nice slow steady rain.
Youv ‘e overforecasted amout of raiin in
PEARLAND each day this week.
Tank top.
•Takes cat outside to have some Catio time.
•Gets up and goes back inside to get myself a jacket.
This is late July in Htown?!**
**not a complaint.
If God sets the thermostat to 75 in Houston, I’m glad I don’t pay HIS electric bill.
Has anyone seen the giant invasive flatworms yet? Just curious. I live in Galveston and have never seen any here. Thanks Matt and Eric for the hard work!