Houston residents should brace for tumultuous weather in the upcoming days as a disturbance sweeps through the region, promising isolated to scattered showers and storms. According to a post on X by the National Weather Service Houston, this morning and afternoon are expected to see turbulent conditions. Particularly north of Harris County, there's the potential for some storm activity to intensify into severe weather.
A disturbance moving through the area tomorrow will bring isolated to scattered showers and storms in the morning and afternoon. A few strong to severe storms may be possible with the greatest chances of these storms north of Harris County.#HOUwx #TXwx #BCSwx pic.twitter.com/Nn2mZe1iF7
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) March 7, 2024
The signs of unrest in the skies over Houston begin with a forecast from The National Weather Service, which predicts a forty percent chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, mainly post-midnight. Texans navigating the gusty southeast winds that could reach up to 20 mph should remain vigilant, especially with the high near 78 today.
Coming tomorrow, the chances of showers and thunderstorms climb significantly to seventy percent, mainly before noon. Houstonians could face new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, though thunderstorms may bring higher amounts. In preparation for the weekend, Saturday promises partly sunny skies but continues to carry a breath of wild wind, with north gusts possibly reaching up to 30 mph and a cooler high near 65 degrees.
The Storm Prediction Center has heightened concerns for severe weather Friday through Friday night, announcing a "Slight Risk" of severe thunderstorms capable of spawning tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds from parts of east Texas across the lower Mississippi Valley and into the central Gulf Coast states. As clusters of convection may be ongoing, east Texas and Oklahoma could see isolated large hail as these systems move northeastward, aided by strong deep-layer shear and modestly steep mid-level lapse rates.
The threat for tornadoes and damaging winds doesn't relent into Friday evening, persisting into the early hours of Saturday across parts of Mississippi into Alabama. This development aligns with enhanced shear projected by a southerly low-level jet that could similarly upset central Mississippi and Alabama with "weak, but sufficient, instability late Friday/early Saturday," per the Storm Prediction Center's analysis.
