Houston residents might want to keep their umbrellas handy for the latter half of this week, with the National Weather Service's Houston/Galveston office predicting a series of potentially severe weather events. The forecast for Thursday evening through Friday indicates a chance of showers and thunderstorms, capable of bringing hail and gusty winds, according to a post by the NWS Houston on X.
Showers and storms may develop Thursday evening through Friday morning with a very conditional threat of strong to severe storms developing. *If* storms develop, then they may produce hail and gusty winds. Additional strong storms are possible on Friday afternoon. #HOUwx #TXwx pic.twitter.com/pfKxrR0vOn
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) March 5, 2024
The NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, laid out its expectations for the region as well, noting, "Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms may occur Wednesday across parts of the Florida Peninsula and the southern Plains." While the main threats appear to be occasional large hail and gusty winds, Houstonians, could experience their own bout of this turbulent weather heading into the weekend. Already today, locals are seeing patchy fog that's expected to clear up, but with increasing clouds tonight and more fog predicted after midnight, as reported by the National Weather Service.
While the chance of precipitation peaks at 60 percent on Friday with showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 pm, the forecast doesn't just spell doom and gloom. By the weekend, Houstonians can look forward to clearer skies with a mostly sunny Saturday and a continuation of the fair weather into Sunday. The pleasant conditions are expected to extend into the start of the next workweek.
For those planning outdoor activities, it's worth noting that the weather predictions suggest a rollercoaster of conditions, including a Marginal Risk of severe weather for parts of north-central Texas. "Modest low-level moisture should advance northward across parts of the southern/central Plains," states the SPC's discussion, and as a result, "Isolated large hail appears possible with the stronger cores, along with occasional, severe winds." Despite the threat looming over the region, Saturday’s forecast retains a positive outlook, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 69 degrees to grace Houston.
