Tuesday offered a quiet day across the Houston region, and our weather for the rest of the week will probably be more or less the same, with warm days and the potential for some scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Wednesday and Thursday
In the absence of high pressure, and moderately high moisture levels, we’ll see partly sunny skies on both days with a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms. This will probably be the case where a few isolated areas get one-half or more inch of rain, while the rest of the metro area receives light rainfall, or none at all. Either way, any rain should die off around sunset, and should present no flooding issues. Look for highs around 90 degrees.
Friday and Saturday
Not much change heading into the weekend, but as higher pressure edges closer to the region on Friday, I’d expect mostly sunny skies and highs of around 90 degrees—with only isolated showers. We can’t rule out rain on either of these days, but I would not expect it. These should be good days for the beach or other outdoor activities for which you don’t mind a little bit of late-summer heat.
Sunday into next week
I don’t see much of a change in this pattern for awhile, with highs of 90 degrees, lows in the mid-70s, ample humidity, and scattered showers. From a flooding threat, these days don’t present any problems. It’s just that, psychologically, as we get deeper into September, most people like to see some signs of fall coming. For now, I don’t expect that before the end of this month, or early October.
Tropics
Hurricane Maria made landfall this morning on the southeastern side of Puerto Rico, with sustained winds of 155mph. This storm will have devastating consequences for the island over the coming days and weeks due to its catastrophic winds, mudslide-causing rains, and storm surge. The storm should also effect the Dominican Republic before turning north-northwest and moving north through the Atlantic. The Northeastern United States may eventually see some effects from Maria, but that would not occur for about a week or more.
Beyond Maria, the tropics most likely will generate no new storms for at least the next five days that will affect any landmasses.
Eric, I am a puertorrican that have lived in Houston now for 20 years. Many puertorricans live in Houston , most of them professionals. I followed you thru Harvey. Your coverage was amazing. Even if Puerto Rico is not part of the mainland, I would have liked more information about Maria affecting the Island. Specially because you have so much knowledge about the weather and is so easy to understand your explanations.
I think, to be fair to Eric and Matt, there really isn’t much more that they can say other than we now have to wait and get official confirmation on how bad the destruction has been. The major news gathering organisations have pretty sparse details (the New York Times and Washington Post have been my go to sources for latest news), and it really is a case of waiting for the officials to provide updates via official channels.
I think you need to prepare yourself for bad news. This hurricane season has been cruel and heartbreaking.
Ah, but we DO have the early signs of fall (at least by Houston standards). We’re only getting to right at 90 degrees instead of 95 – 98, and if you look closely some of the trees (particularly the sycamores) are less vibrantly green. That, and Pumpkin Spice everything has performed its annual takeover of the store shelves.
Seriously, though, thanks again for helping us try to stay sane during this tropical season.
I don’t understand all of the crying about summer. Summer is the best season, the only season that is a celebration in and of itself, unless you count the holiday season, which is not one of the four seasons. It is certainly not hot and uncomfortable outside, and if everyone hates the heat so much, can anybody explain why more people are out in hot weather than in chilly weather, and why would anyone stay in Houston, where the heat is the best thing about the weather. There is an entire country of mostly cold places out there where we could live.
You are vastly underrating spring and fall in Texas, which are the best seasons IMO. Unfortunately, they are often fleetingly short.