HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Your umbrella will remain your best friend through the weekend! Tropical air will continue to bring daily downpours to Southeast Texas, and it looks like the highest level of tropical moisture will pass through on Saturday afternoon.
Rounds of rain producing light to heavy downpours are pushing into Southeast Texas this morning from the gulf. This is just the first of several waves we’re expecting over the next few days. Friday’s storms could once again bring heavy rains that briefly flood streets along with lightning. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors! Otherwise, it’s another cool, damp morning with temperatures starting in the low-mid 70s with highs climbing into the 80s. Some areas though may stay in the 70s Friday with the rain and clouds around.
This rainy outlook continues through the weekend with the daily chance for scattered showers and storms each day through Monday.
Why are the highest chance of rain on Saturday?
Not only will we have high levels of tropical moisture overhead, but we will also have a large upper low moving through West Texas. This will lift up the air in a widespread fashion across Texas, leading to rain chances for most of the state. Even once the upper low moves away on Sunday, it will still be dragging high levels of tropical moisture overhead to generate more scattered downpours once it warms into the mid 80s on Sunday.
Should I cancel my outdoor plans this weekend?
Not necessarily. Some plans may be significantly altered by the scattered, heavy thunderstorms, but it won’t rain all day. Saturday we could wake up to a few showers and storms early in the morning before heavier, more widespread rain moves in for the afternoon and evening. Timing for this as of now is between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. for the most activity. Then it’s a similar case for Sunday too. Then rain-cooled air stabilizes the atmosphere in the late afternoon and evening. If you do have outdoor plans and keep them rain or shine, just make sure you have a place to run for cover should a heavy thunderstorm come your way.
Is severe weather possible?
The risk of severe weather is low, but there could be some tropical funnels that occur in the morning over our coastal counties. Isolated pockets of street flooding are possible for brief stretches of time where the heaviest rains fall. Some storms could also produce gusty winds associated with the heavy downpours. And with a new weather system rolling in for Saturday, this time around a few thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening could have enough energy to work with to also produce strong winds along with torrential rain.
Does next week look as rainy too?
Thankfully it looks like this wet and rainy matter will take a back seat next week. While there’s still the chance for scattered storms on Monday, by midweek a warmer and drier weather pattern will begin to settle in across the region. This should bring drier days, more sunshine and the first stretch of 90-degree weather to Houston.
Now that it’s hurricane season, what are you tracking in the tropics?
There are two things we are tracking right now. The first is the tropical moisture over the Gulf that comes our way over the weekend. The second is a large plume of Saharan dust currently stretching across the Atlantic from Africa to the Caribbean. For the latest on what’s happening in the tropics, head to our Tropical Update page for our daily tropical weather discussion and forecast.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.