Rain possible today, still on track for much cooler weather next week

A cold front is stalling across north Texas this morning, but it may provide enough instability today to lead to the development of some scattered showers across the Houston region. This will offer our best chance of rain for awhile. Cooler weather really does lie ahead.

Today

The stalling front, combined with Gulf moisture, could produce some scattered showers and thunderstorms in Houston today, especially after noon for inland areas. Some parts of Houston may pick up a quick half inch of rain or so, but other areas aren’t likely to see any rain. Highs in the upper 80s.

Saturday through Tuesday

And so we come to summer’s last breath. As higher pressure settles over Houston we can expect temperatures to rise toward 90 degrees, and possibly even reach that mark. Lows should fall into the low 70s. Higher pressure also means mostly sunny days with rain chances near zero.

The GFS model shows high pressure dominating Houston's weather early next week. (Weather Bell)
The GFS model shows high pressure dominating Houston’s weather early next week. (Weather Bell)

See full post

Summer-lite returns to Houston for the next week or so

Temperatures reached 89 degrees on Wednesday, and there’s more anomalously warm weather ahead for the region as a stagnant, late-summer pattern holds sway.

Thursday and Friday

A front moving into north Texas will stall well to the northwest of Houston, but some of the associated instability could work its way into the region today and tomorrow. This should result in some slight rain chances on both days, especially to the northwest of the metro area in places like College Station, although we’re probably not looking at widespread rain. Highs in the upper 80s, lows in the low 70s.

Saturday through Tuesday

Hello, summer. A higher pressure moves back into the area look for several days of partly to mostly sunny skies with highs near 90 degrees, and lows in the lower 70s. Rain chances should be near zero. These temperatures will be a good 8 to 10 degrees above normal for mid-October.

Temperatures on Monday may be as much as 15 degrees above normal. (Weather Bell)
Temperatures on Monday may be as much as 15 degrees above normal. (Weather Bell)

See full post

Houston’s weather: Warm, humid and basically blah

The good news is that Houston finally received a bit of rain on Tuesday. It certainly wasn’t an overwhelming amount, but for some areas 0.5 inch of rain or more is nothing to sneeze at. The bad news is that this is probably all the rain the region is going to get for awhile. And meanwhile, the humid air isn’t going anywhere.

Some areas of Harris and Galveston counties received in excess of 0.5 inch of rain on Tuesday. (National Weather Service)
Some areas of Harris and Galveston counties received in excess of 0.5 inch of rain on Tuesday. (National Weather Service)

See full post

No sugarcoating it—Houston’s weather is about to suck for awhile

Good morning. Some isolated showers have moved into the Houston are this morning as a southerly flow returns from the Gulf of Mexico. Hopefully more of the area will see rain later today before high pressure settles in. Either way the heat and humidity is coming back for a good long while.

Today

Some of the high-resolution models show pretty decent shower coverage later this morning and during the afternoon hours, as daytime heating develops. Some areas may receive as much as one half to one inch of rain today (others won’t see any, alas), and partly to mostly cloudy skies should limit high temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s. Lows tonight will be in the lower 70s.

Wednesday through Friday

After today we’re going to see higher pressures dominate Houston’s weather for the rest of the work week, and it’s not going to be fall-like at all. Days should be mostly sunny with highs in the upper 80s to possibly even 90 degrees. Overnight lows will be around 70 degrees north of Houston, and in the low 70s in the city and closer to the coast. We can’t rule out some storms on Friday as a cool front moves into northern Texas, but I don’t think the showers and thunderstorms associated with that front will make it all the way to Houston (the front itself won’t, unfortunately).

This is one depressing forecast from the GFS model for the next 10 days. (Weather Bell)
This is one depressing forecast from the GFS model for the next 10 days. (Weather Bell)

See full post