Houston residents can expect a mix of chilly sunshine and incoming rain as they navigate the week ahead. According to the National Weather Service, today Houston will see mostly sunny skies with a high near 55 degrees and a brisk north wind reaching 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 30 mph. Tonight, the clear conditions persist, with a low around 39 and a tamer north wind of 5 to 10 mph. For those looking to honor Washington's Birthday with outdoor activities, the weather should cooperate with sunny skies and a pleasant high near 64 degrees.
A shift, however, is on the horizon. The National Weather Service warns of a "slight chance of showers before noon, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between noon and 3pm, then showers after 3pm" come Tuesday. The likelihood of precipitation is quite high at 80%, and the high for the day is expected to reach near 68 degrees with prevailing southeast winds as the day progresses. The KHOU 11 Weather Team, on the other hand, has issued Weather Impact Alert Days for Thursday, signaling a drastic dip in temperatures to the point of freezing in the overnight and morning hours following the passage of this system.
As Houstonians bask in the initial cool reprieve, Tuesday's forecasted strong arctic cold front marks a significant shift. As per the KHOU 11 Weather Team, "A strong arctic cold front is expected to arrive on Tuesday and will bring the next chance for rain." Precipitation is expected to fall solely as rain, given that temperatures at the front's arrival will be sufficiently warm. This will not be the season's last surprise, as winter reasserts itself midweek.
Following Tuesday's storms, Wednesday's weather will moderate to partly sunny, with a high near 50 degrees but with gusts enough to deem it breezy. On Wednesday night, citizens can expect partly cloudy skies, with the mercury dropping to around 30 degrees. The cold snap tightens its grip as Thursday's high struggles to rise above 47 degrees, despite predominantly sunny conditions. The incoming freeze will challenge Houston's afternoon highs, as "afternoon high temperatures will struggle to make it out of the 40s," as mentioned in the forecast provided by KHOU.
The end of the week may see some reprieve, with Friday bringing a 40 percent chance of showers and a high near 44 degrees. This pattern of clouds and potential rain extends into the weekend, suggesting a notable variability that Houstonians should stay abreast of. Accurate and timely weather updates can be found on the respective websites of the National Weather Service and the KHOU 11 Weather Team for those in the Houston area.
