Houston, known for its mild winter temperatures, has experienced an unusually prolonged absence of freezing weather over the past year. According to Eric Berger of Space City Weather, Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport has not recorded temperatures below 33 degrees since December 26, 2022, marking a 364-day period and making it the city’s seventh-longest stint without a freeze.
However, this lengthy streak may come to an end this week, as Weather.com projections indicate a dip in temperatures into the mid-30s on both Thursday and Friday nights. While daytime highs are expected to reach the mid-50s, there is a possibility, as noted by Berger, that areas outside the Houston metro, such as Katy or The Woodlands, may experience freezing temperatures later this week. Berger advises residents in these areas to prepare for the possibility of a freeze, while areas closer to the coast are expected to remain warmer.
The current week might be Houston’s only opportunity for freezing temperatures this winter. January projections suggest temperatures bottoming out in the low 40s, with an average daily temperature of 44 degrees. These forecasts align with predictions from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, anticipating a mild but damp winter for Texas in 2023-24, with wetter-than-usual weather in the southern regions, including Texas.
The Almanac states, “Wetter-than-usual weather is coming to the southern portions of the Deep South, Texas, and California, with potentially drought-quenching rain.” While precipitation is expected to be above normal, it is not anticipated to be extreme, and the best chances for snow are predicted in the north in late December and late January.
For those who vividly remember the challenges posed by Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the current absence of icy conditions might be a relief. Nevertheless, Houstonians are advised to enjoy the upcoming days of holiday sweater weather while remaining prepared with frost blankets, as the city faces the possibility of the freeze-free streak coming to an end.
