In brief: After Houston set heat records on Tuesday, we should see more of the same today and Thursday. The overall pattern moderates slightly this weekend, but we are looking at mostly sunny and hot weather at least into next week.
Record watch
Houston broke its high temperature record on Tuesday, with the mercury reaching 95 degrees. This topped the record of 94 degrees, set in 1907. The city will almost certainly break high temperature records today (93 degrees, set in 2018) and on Thursday (94 degrees, 2018). We then will come close through the weekend, and my tie or break additional records.
This is not particularly where one wants to be in the middle of May, with at least four months of summer ahead. But here we are. Matt and I are working on a summer preview, which we will publish in a couple of days. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I don’t think there will be any surprises. This high pressure pattern currently in place, known as an Omega block, can be fairly persistent. And seeing one at this time of year is not a good sign.
Wednesday and Thursday
The setup favors maximum heating today and Thursday, so we can expect the urban core of Houston to hit at least the mid-90s. Areas north and west of the city will be hotter, and we can’t entirely rule out a few isolated readings of 100 degrees. Areas closer to the coast should be a bit cooler, in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Conditions will be breezy, with sustained winds of 10 to 15 mph, and gusts up to 25 mph. Skies will be mostly sunny during the daytime, with some clouds building in during the evenings and overnight. Lows will only drop into the mid- or upper-70s, so it will definitely feel muggy outside.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Daily high temperatures may back off a couple of degrees this weekend, but it is still going to be sizzling for mid-May, feeling more like late June or July out there. It’s also worth noting that we are about one month away from the Sun reaching its highest point in the sky, so your skin will burn quickly. Please take precautions for prolonged Sun exposure. And we are going to see a lot of sunshine this weekend, with rain chances hovering around zero.
Next week
When we get in pressure patterns like this, it becomes a waiting game to see when it will break. At this point, I think the earliest likelihood of this is next Wednesday or Thursday, when rain chances and somewhat more moderate temperatures may return. But there certainly are no guarantees.
What does the temp being so hot this early do to the hurricane season this summer?
I guess if there’s a ridge over us during while a hurricane forms, it’d knock the hurricane elsewhere.
Likely it will just make the Gulf even hotter, as its presence is just another indicator of a warming planet.
Maybe we’ll get lucky & get one as a shield at just the right time?
Omega blocks are the Trough, Ridge, Trough setup that forms the letter Omega on maps. We get the ridge part of course.
Is this temporary, or is this day two of a 4 and 1/2 month death ridge regime?
The plot thickens, just like the outside air.
Definitely thickening air gross
Not a great sign when you’re breaking out the WBGT graphics in mid May!
Every day for the next 8 days will likely tie or break record highs. And sadly, most of these records were set not that long ago. There is no way to deny what is happening anymore. The science is settled. This is our climate now, folks. Get used to it. The dog days of summer are starting earlier and lasting longer than ever before. And the best part is that it will only get worse in the future. In ten years, we will probably start seeing persistent heat like this starting in mid-April and lasting until mid-November.
LOL!!!
Is lol the only thing floating in that empty cranium of yours? Can’t wait til the boomers all die so we can fix the mess you created with your greed and vanity.
This is most definitely the New Normal, we should get used to it I presume.
Is there an explanation as to why Galveston is no part of this heat wave? They are just 50 miles SE of houston with highs of 85 or so all week.
Being next to the Gulf of Mexico moderates the temps.
Water temps along the coast are only in the upper 70s. With the onshore flow in place, Galveston gets a slight cooling effect from this.
Good Morning!! Why is galveston not on the Heat Wave? Thank You!!
Galveston is receiving the small benefit of being on the coast where the Gulf is moderating the temperature.The Houston area is not dead center of this heat wave, it’s Central Texas.
Look at San Antonio and Austin, the residents there are going to spontaneously combust, you’ll see it on the 6:00 news.
I was loosely following temperatures at the three TV stations and my own thermometer here in the SW burbs and only saw the temps hit 91. Sure didn’t feel like 95 when I was out yesterday afternoon. Maybe Bush has it’s own little heat dome.
Yesterday did not feel as bad but we had these situations back in the 90s and other yrs of course since I been living here. This is nothing new. If we broke a record since they are telling us since 1907 hell the weather back then also has its changes. The world has its natural cycles we notice it more due to how fast we get news out to everyone. Climate changes naturally all the time.
You guys better appreciate dew points being in the 70s and not 80s like last year.
Today – Sunny, with a high near 96. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Tonight – Increasing clouds, with a low around 75. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
The only good news I can see is it is T-minus (about) 2 years and counting before I don’t have to worry about this crappy Gulf Coast weather and hurricanes anymore. I won’t be here. It will be good to see snow 2 or 3 times a year instead.