Play Ball! Astros home opener forecast, and a Reliant giveaway

The Houston Astros play their home opener for the 2022 Major League Baseball season this evening. Matt and I are both baseball fans, so we’re pretty excited. This year is even more special since our sponsor, Reliant, is now the Official Energy Provider for the Houston Astros. Thanks to Reliant, we’re giving away two great prize packages consisting of: two tickets to an upcoming game, a newly launched City Connect “Space City” jersey, and Reliant/Astros swag. First, let’s start with the weather.

Two mascots, one partnership. (Reliant)

Opening Day Weather

The Astros could not ask for better weather at game time, 7:10 pm CT, for their home opener with the Los Angeles Angels. Game time temperature will be in the mid-70s, with mostly clear skies, and moderate northeasterly winds. After the game the temperature likely will drop to the upper 60s. So basically, perfect weather for evening baseball. Enjoy!

Reliant powers Minute Maid Park and Astros Fans

As part of becoming the Astros’ Official Energy Provider, Reliant has a special electricity plan with some perks specifically for Astros fans, including a $100 Astros gift card that can be used toward tickets, team gear, concessions and more and an invitation to a unique Astros autograph session, plus, of course, a great electricity price locked in for the length of your term (more details here).

They have also installed 13 Reliant Charging Stations throughout Minute Maid Park, allowing fans to charge their phones on the go and without being tethered to one spot, which is new for the ballpark.

Giveaway

We’re also able to offer a special giveaway for Space City Weather readers. To win two tickets to the April 23 game, the new City Connect “Space City” jersey, and Reliant/Astros swag, please enter the giveaway we’re hosting on our Facebook page. Two winners will be chosen at random tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7 a.m. CT and announced here and on Facebook. We’ll then connect the winners with Reliant for all the details. Good luck and go Astros! 

After a brief flirtation with drier air, most of this week will be warmer and humid

Good morning. Houston will enjoy a brief return of dry air for the next couple of days before humidity settles in for the rest of the week. Overall, we’re heading into a quiet pattern, with no issues to speak of. Even tree pollen has finally started to settle down, after a long season.

Monday

A modest cool front has pushed through the area overnight, and the influx of drier air will lead to clearing skies this afternoon, with high temperatures likely slotting into the low 80s. Winds will be out of the north at 10 to 15 mph, with slightly higher gusts. We’re going to get one cool night with this front, and it will be Monday night, with temperatures dropping into the 50s for inland areas, with clear skies, and low 60s closer to the coast. This won’t be “cold” by any means, but such nights will be rarer and rarer as we get into late spring.

Low temperatures on Tuesday morning will be pleasantly chilly. (Weather Bell)

Tuesday

This will be a nice day. Look for highs to only reach the mid- to upper-70s. However, as winds turn easterly during the day time, at about 15 mph, we can expect to see the formation of some clouds and rising moisture levels. Lows Tuesday night will be back into the upper 60s already.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

The rest of the week should see partly sunny and warm days, with highs in the 80s and fairly strong southerly winds each day—perhaps about 15 mph with higher gusts. These will be humid days, with warm nights as temperatures only fall to around 70 degrees. Rain chances are near zero, however.

So yeah, that’s a pretty consistent forecast for Houston after Tuesday. (Weather Bell)

Saturday, Sunday and beyond

Right now the weekend looks to bring more of the same, with partly to mostly sunny skies, and highs in the mid- to upper-80s. Rain chances remain low, as well. At some point another modest cool front will probably make it to Houston, but that appears unlikely to happen before next Monday or Tuesday.

Easter weekend will be an early summer preview for Houston

Good morning. The humidity has come surging back this morning. Whereas yesterday at this time we had a relative humidity of 64% and a dewpoint in the 40s, this morning sees relative humidity at 93% and a dewpoint into the mid-60s. The dry, pleasant weather was nice for a day. We’ll now begin a somewhat unsettled period of weather through Monday, though probably without any real serious issues.

Dewpoints have risen substantially in the last 24 hours anywhere you see green on the map above. It feels a lot different today than it did yesterday. (NOAA)

Today

Clouds this morning may actually produce some drizzle or light rain showers a little later this morning before things attempt to clear out a bit this afternoon. Inland areas, mainly north of I-10 could see an isolated downpour or thunderstorm this afternoon with daytime heating. It’s likely that many of you will not see that today, however. Look for highs in the 80s or upper 70s if clouds stubbornly hold on. Winds won’t be too terrible, but look for a 5 to 15 mph southerly breeze today.

Saturday

Temperatures tonight get held up because of clouds and a warming air mass, so look for Saturday to begin with 70s in most of the area. That head start should allow us to easily push deep into the 80s to near 90 degrees tomorrow afternoon with a bit of sun after morning clouds.

This weekend will be a preview of summer as temperatures approach 90 degrees with high humidity Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s forecast highs are shown here. (Pivotal Weather)

A shower can’t be entirely ruled out but most areas will stay dry. South winds of 5 to 10 mph will provide minimal relief.

Easter Sunday

South of I-10, Sunday’s forecast is actually pretty straightforward. Look for morning clouds and some sun with temperatures in the higher 80s away from the water. Along and north of I-10, the forecast gets trickier. A cold front approaches Sunday but it struggles to get much past I-35, well west of us. But ahead of that front, showers and storms will kick off Sunday afternoon. The best chance for that will be near College Station, but the chances in and around Houston are not zero. Basically, if you have outdoor holiday plans, just be flexible and understand that, while not likely, rain will be possible for a time, especially north and west of Houston.

Outside of shower chances, we’ll see highs again well into the 80s, if not low-90s for inland spots with enough sunshine.

Monday and Tuesday

The cold front will eventually get into our part of Texas on Monday bringing a chance of showers and storms. Honestly, modeling doesn’t look too impressive in terms of storm chances in Houston, but we’ll definitely call for a slight chance. That front basically dies out once it passes us, but that will still allow for cooler temperatures and lower humidity Monday and especially Tuesday. We’ll probably see 80 or so on Monday, followed by 70s and a breeze on Tuesday, with morning lows in the 50s.

If you’re attending the Astros home opener on Monday evening, it should be turning a bit more pleasant with temperatures in the 70s pre-game and 60s during the game. I believe rain chances will dictate whether or not the roof is open, and we will know more about that on Monday itself.

Rest of next week

Humidity and warmer temperatures come flooding back in for the mid to late week period. Strong onshore winds may develop Wednesday. We’ll see a return of 80s by day, 60s or warmer by night, and shower chances. These shower chances look minor each day right now, but we’ll get a better handle on which days will carry higher rain risk by Monday or Tuesday.

Meanwhile, have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Drier air today, but humidity is on the way

Good morning. If you’re looking for a guaranteed day of drier air in Houston, today’s the day. After this humidity will return with a vengeance, and our prospects for a front early next week are hopeful but uncertain.

Thursday

In the wake of an overnight front, drier air is moving in to the region today. After morning lows in the upper 50s to lower 60s, we’ll see high temperatures climb this afternoon to the low 80s. Winds, generally will be from the east at 10 to 15 mph. The cold front, however, lies just offshore and will start to return to the area this evening as a warm front. As a result we’ll start to see some increasing clouds tonight, with lows generally in the low- to mid-60s.

Relative humidity today will be rather pleasant this afternoon. (Weather Bell)

Friday

As moisture levels increase, we should see mostly cloudy skies on Friday. This could prompt some scattered, light showers by the late morning, or afternoon hours. Highs should top out at about 80 degrees given the cloud cover, with winds out of the south at 5 to 10 mph. Lows Friday night probably won’t drop below 70 degrees.

Saturday

This will be a warm and humid day, with highs in the upper 80s and partly to mostly cloudy skies. It won’t quite feel like summer, but it will offer a preview of what’s coming. We can’t entirely rule out a few stray showers, but chances are likely in the 10 to 20 percent range.

Forecast high temperature for Easter Sunday. (Weather Bell)

Sunday

Easter Sunday will be a lot like Saturday. Highs will again push into the mid- to upper-80s with predominantly cloudy skies, but some sunshine should break through. The big question regarding Sunday and Sunday night concerns the next cold front. There still is not great agreement on whether it pushes all the way through Houston, and when. As a result, while its possible we could see some light rain on Sunday evening and overnight, it’s a big question mark.

Next week

Our weather for next week could bring highs in the 70s for a couple of days, with lows in the 50s, and drier air. Or we might stay in the 80s with only slightly drier air. I’d love to be able to offer you some clarity, but I don’t have any.