Houston is waking up to a warm, soupy start on Friday, with cloudy skies, muggy air and temperatures parked in the low 70s. Pockets of sea fog are clinging to the coast, especially around southern Galveston Bay, where commuters and ferry riders may find things moving a bit slower than usual. By this afternoon, highs are expected to climb into the low 80s as a breezy southeast flow kicks back in, as reported by the National Weather Service.
According to the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston, a Dense Fog Advisory is in effect through 10 a.m. for parts of Galveston Bay and nearby Gulf waters, and small craft should take it easy. Through the afternoon, southeast winds are forecast to increase to about 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 30 to 35 mph. A few spotty showers or even a brief thunderstorm could pop up between roughly 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Afternoon Winds Pick Up
The strongest gusts, near 30 to 35 mph, are most likely west of I-45. Forecasters say the area is right on the edge of needing a Wind Advisory, thanks to a stronger low-level jet overhead. In practical terms, it is a good idea to secure any loose yard furniture and be ready for some sudden bursts of wind on bridges and other exposed stretches of roadway. Drivers in high-profile vehicles should be especially cautious in crosswinds.
Weekend Rain Threat
A frontal boundary is expected to stall somewhere over Southeast Texas from Saturday into Sunday, which is classic setup territory for rounds of showers and thunderstorms. Most of the action looks to focus on Saturday night. Local coverage of the forecast notes that 1 to 3 inches of rain are possible across much of the region, with isolated higher totals where storms repeatedly track, increasing the odds of street and poor-drainage flooding even with the recent dry soils, according to the Houston Chronicle. If your weekend plans hinge on dry weather, you will want a backup ready.
Plan Ahead
For Friday morning, allow extra time if you are traveling around the coast or bay areas, slow down in fog and stick to low-beam headlights. If you are heading out on the water, check the latest marine advisories before launching. For the weekend, keep an indoor plan in your back pocket and steer clear of driving through standing water. Flash flooding can develop quickly in heavy downpours, and even a shallow, fast-moving sheet of water can be more dangerous than it looks.
