As the mercury climbs in Houston and residents brace for another scorcher, the National Weather Service is forecasting more than just heat. According to the weather outlook on NWS Weather Forecast Office, today's high is near 98 degrees with a heat index that could reach an oppressive 111, and a calm breeze in the afternoon may offer little relief from the intense heat.
This evening, the skies over Houston are expected to stay mostly clear as the thermometers cool to around 79 degrees, a mild respite, but the weekend forecast suggests continued high temperatures edging towards 100 degrees with similar heat index values remaining well above 100 degrees, the weekend promises little relief from the persistent heat wave that's enveloping the region.
But as Houstonians grapple with the heat, the NWS Storm Prediction Center warns of severe thunderstorms, particularly in the central and southern Plains extending into northwest Arkansas. The weather phenomena are driven by a combination of factors, a surface front arcing across various regions at peak heating and possible short-wave troughs gliding atop an upper anticyclone, areas in northern Oklahoma and the central High Plains may witness convective temperatures being breached by 22-23z as surface readings rise through the upper 90s/100F, this could lead to strong storms that may develop into a multi-cellular system, moving southeast toward the Ozarks, with severe gusts and large hail likely before the system fully develops.
The weather in the Midwest and Tennessee Valley is less severe but remains unpredictable. Scattered storms may persist, influenced by a Mississippi Valley trough, with weather patterns possibly extending further into the northern Gulf States than currently anticipated. Despite current probabilities being marginal, the evolving conditions will necessitate close monitoring over the coming days.
