Residents in Houston and surrounding areas should brace for a wet and potentially stormy week as meteorological patterns indicate a high likelihood of showers and thunderstorms through Sunday. The National Weather Service forecasts that today, storms are highly probable mainly before 4 p.m. with a high near 91 degrees and heat index values could soar as high as 102; a southeast wind 5 to 10 mph is expected with a 70% chance of precipitation and some areas might experience more intense downpours especially in thunderstorms.
As the evening approaches, there's a lingering 30% potential for more thunderstorms, mainly after 4 a.m., though the skies are predicted to remain partly cloudy as temperatures drop to a low of around 78 degrees, transitioning to light east winds post-midnight, weather patterns appear more assertive come Tuesday with a 60% chance of storms, especially after 10 a.m., followed by a surge in heat index values reaching up to a blistering 106 degrees, amid calm winds that'll shift east around 5 mph in the morning. With expected new rainfall between a quarter and half an inch.
Looking ahead, the NWS Storm Prediction Center has laid out a severe thunderstorm warning with an enhanced risk zone stretching from central and southern South Dakota through to central and southern Minnesota, and into western Wisconsin, noting that severe storms are expected to evolve within a zone extending from the northern/central High Plains eastward to Wisconsin this afternoon into tonight. These areas may see large to very large hail, possible tornadoes, and severe, potentially damaging, gusts particularly pronounced across South Dakota into Minnesota.
Back in Houston, Wednesday's forecast heralds a 60% likelihood of showers and thunderstorms mainly between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and again later in the afternoon, the thermostat may approach the high 90s, moderated somewhat by northeasterly winds of 5 to 10 mph which will become southeasterly as the day progresses, and while the chance of precipitation drops slightly by nightfall, another round of thunderstorms is predicted after 1 a.m. A continuous pattern of rainfall with high chances of thunderstorms persists through the weekend, with the forecast suggesting a consistent threat of rain and thunderstorms with daytime highs nearing the 90-degree mark each day.
Simultaneously, an outlook shared by NWS Houston indicates scattered showers and storms with the most abundant coverage likely near the coast, today's high temperatures are expected to plateau in the low 90s for most areas, and may even be slightly cooler along the coast, thanks to cloud coverage and precipitation providing some natural relief from the heat.
There will be some isolated to scattered showers and storms today with the highest coverage near the coast. With the help of cloud cover and rainfall, today's high temperatures will likely stay in the low 90s for much of the area (and even upper 80s along the coast!).#HOUwx pic.twitter.com/OQgTdlebt0
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) August 26, 2024
