In brief: Houston is continuing to experience cooler conditions in the wake of a front, and indeed temperatures tonight are likely to be the coldest the region experiences for the next six months. Some rain chances return later this week, but I’m hopeful they won’t be too impactful for the weekend.
Cool interlude
We are continuing to see a cool, northerly flow this morning and our pleasantly dry air will persist for about two more days. Tonight will be the coldest night of the forecast period, with low temperatures dropping into the 50 to 55 degree range for much of the metro area (except for the immediate coast), with some inland locations probably dropping into the upper 40s. Based on an expected warmer spell through the middle of April, I therefore expect this to be the coldest night not only of April, but probably for the next six months. Historically, we often don’t drop into the mid-50s, or lower, until at least mid-October. So open the windows and enjoy the ahhh that’s coming with this interlude of cooler and drier air.
Monday
Today is going to be a lovely day. Our skies will start out cloudy but should begin to clear out this morning before becoming mostly sunny this afternoon. Highs will reach the mid-70s for most locations, with a moderate northerly wind. With clear skies and light winds, conditions will be ideal for radiational cooling. This will allow temperatures to fall nicely tonight, with some exceptionally crisp air likely north and west of Houston. Also, a quick space update here: The Artemis II astronauts are flying around the Moon this afternoon! NASA will cover this live here.
Tuesday
Winds will shift to come from the east on Tuesday, but this will still be a fine, sunny day with highs likely in the upper 70s. As the moisture levels in the air creep up a little bit, our overnight low temperatures will be a few degrees warmer, likely only falling to about 60 degrees in Houston, with slightly cooler conditions for inland areas.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
Our temperatures will continue to inch upward this week, with highs likely around 80 degrees, and overnight lows rising from the mid-60s on Wednesday night to around 70 degrees by Friday night. Each of these days should see a fair bit of humidity, along with a mix of sunshine and clouds. Each day will also have a chance of showers, with Friday appearing to have the best odds at this point (perhaps 40 or 50 percent area-wide) due to a passing upper-level disturbance. In terms of accumulations it’s too early to say too much, but we probably are talking tenths of an inch of rain rather than actual inches. We’ll see.
Saturday and Sunday
There’s a lot going on this weekend, including the Art Car Parade on Saturday. At this time I expect lower rain chances for Saturday and Sunday (perhaps 30 percent?) along with partly sunny skies. So a passing shower is possible, but right now I don’t think sustained rainfall is likely. Temperatures should be a bit warmer, with highs in the lower 80s and fairly humid air. Overnight lows this weekend may only drop to around 70 degrees. The bottom line is that this weekend should be mostly fine for outdoor activities, but I want to wait a day or two before having full confidence in the forecast.
Next week
Most of next week should have temperatures in the low 80s with fairly humid air as well. Things are a bit fuzzy, but at this point I expect a couple of more chances for showers next week, so hopefully we can continue to put a dent into our area’s drought conditions.
