Houston, prepare for a weather rollercoaster. After grappling with bone-chilling cold earlier this week, the city experienced a welcome but brief hike in temperatures on Thursday, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle. Forecasts suggested highs inching towards the 70-degree mark. But don't shed those layers yet; a looming cold front is expected to send the thermometer tumbling down by Friday.
The National Weather Service predicted "areas of fog before 9am" on Thursday, with the rest of the day clearing up and hitting a high near 65 degrees. But as Houston Chronicle reports, that warmth is the calm before the cold snap, with temperatures slated to drop by as many as 20 degrees below the norm come weekend. The front, arriving Thursday night, is bringing more than a chill, with gusty winds expected to create wind chill values that could dip into the teens.
Friday's forecast, according to the NWS Storm Prediction Center, has ruled out thunderstorms, expecting a sunny but brisk day with "a high near 50." Breezy conditions with north wind gusts as high as 30 mph will characterize the day. NWS Storm Prediction Center noted that despite "adequate low-level moisture" for a storm, warmer temperatures aloft will inhibit instability, leading to a stable, thunderstorm-free Friday.
The frosty front isn't making a swift exit. Forecasts from the National Weather Service, accessed via their website, indicate that Saturday is set to remain sunny, yet with a high struggling to breach the mid-40s. And as the Houston Chronicle adds, Houstonians won't feel respite from the chill until early next week, when temperatures are expected to mosey back towards the average.
The cold spell is but a prelude to an unsettled weather patch. Early next week is primed for wetter conditions, as "southeasterly winds pull atmospheric moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into Texas," resulting in rising rain chances from Sunday evening onward, according to the Houston Chronicle. Thunderstorms are projected to be part of the mix, with a 90% chance of showers and possible thunderstorms by Monday and similar probabilities carrying into midweek. Houstonians might want to gear up for "at least a few inches of rain" in the next week.
