A substantial cluster of showers and thunderstorms swept through southeast Texas in the early hours of Saturday, leaving a notable impact on Houston’s rainfall records. Between midnight and 11 a.m., Bush Intercontinental Airport, the official weather observation site in Houston, recorded 1.67 inches of rain. This marked Houston’s second-highest rainfall total ever for February 3, with the record daily rainfall of 1.82 inches set on the same date in 1992.
Houston Hobby reported slightly lower rainfall totals, with 1.27 inches falling on Saturday. Surrounding areas experienced varying amounts of rainfall, with Huntsville recording 2.68 inches and Galveston registering 2.35 inches on the same day.
The year 2024 has seen an exceptionally rainy start for Southeast Texas, with Houston accumulating 10.50 inches of rain through February 3. This makes it the rainiest start to a year in over 120 years, surpassing the previous record set in 1891 when 13.12 inches were recorded by the same date.
Sunday’s Forecast and Beyond
Drier conditions are expected to prevail in Houston on Sunday as dry air moves in. The forecast anticipates bright sunshine throughout the morning and much of the afternoon, with temperatures hovering around the average for early February. Morning lows are projected to drop into the upper 40s, gradually rising through the day.
By 11 a.m., temperatures are expected to reach close to 60 degrees, with highs reaching the mid-60s in the afternoon. Breezy winds of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts exceeding 30 mph, are anticipated throughout the day. Although there is a low chance of isolated showers on Sunday evening, the presence of dry air suggests any rain would likely be minimal, with most of Southeast Texas staying dry.
Looking ahead to the new workweek, high pressure building across the middle of the country will bring several dry days to Southeast Texas. Monday and Tuesday are forecasted to have mostly sunny skies, with temperatures close to average for early February. Morning lows will range from the upper 40s to low 50s, and afternoon highs will reach the mid-60s.
Despite a break from wet weather during the first half of the week, changes are expected by the end of the week. Low pressure developing in the western United States could bring increasing clouds by Wednesday and Thursday, with rain chances staying close to zero. However, a potential shift occurs by the weekend and early next week, with increasing rain chances as low pressure combines with higher atmospheric moisture levels. Severe thunderstorms are not currently anticipated.
