Houston residents should prepare for a wet and wild weekend, with the National Weather Service predicting showers and thunderstorms likely before noon today, giving way to a gradual clearing with a high near 70 degrees. The same source warns of a 70% chance of precipitation, bringing between a half and three quarters of an inch of new rainfall to the region (NWS). Moving into the night, Houstonians are told to expect mostly clear skies, with a low around 50 degrees and a southwest wind traveling at a gentle 5 to 10 mph.
As Sunday rolls in, the beacon of sunshine returns with a high near 66, however, residents should hold onto their hats as west winds are expected to pick up, gusting as high as 25 mph, this information comes courtesy of the forecast discussion. The nightly predictions foretell a partly cloudy embrace with a low hovering around 51 degrees (SPC). Looking further ahead, Monday's weather is slated to be partly sunny, reaching a high near 62 degrees, while the nighttime sky remains mostly clear with a chill set to dip down to around 47.
But beyond Houston's immediate horizons, there lurks a stormier scenario as per the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, Florida and the Keys are the stage for a "slight risk" of severe thunderstorms on Sunday, with the possibility of a "brief tornado" or two manifesting on the coastal central California coast primarily in the afternoon the SPC forecast discussion indicates. The weather system menacing Florida is expected to galvanize due to a mid-level jet striking from the central Gulf, which will introduce substantial moistening from an MCS stretching over the peninsula (SPC).
In the midst of this turbulent tableau, the local maritime community must navigate with extra caution as the National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Houston area waters until 8:00 AM CST, encompassing the waters from High Island to Freeport and Galveston to Matagorda Bay, mariners should be aware of these conditions and exercise due caution when venturing out. As Tuesday dawns, clear skies are once again promised with a high near 66 degrees while the rest of the week oscillates between partial cloudiness and the potential for showers by Friday, with highs remaining pleasantly in the early 70s. Stay tuned and prepared, Houston.
