Houston woke up to light rain, muggy air and a northeast breeze around 66°F, and it is not going to dry out much today. A stalled coastal boundary is locked in place, which means a cooler, wet stretch with showers and thunderstorms rolling through into Friday.
Flood Watch And Heavy Rain
A Flood Watch is in effect Friday into early Saturday as waves of rain move over the region. Widespread totals of 2–4 inches are likely, with isolated spots picking up as much as 5–6 inches. Forecasters warn that heavy downpours could quickly trigger street and creek flooding, with the strongest cells capable of dumping 2–3 inches of rain per hour. Low-lying roads, bayous and usual hot spots for ponding will be the trouble areas, so avoid driving through standing water, according to NWS Houston/Galveston.
When To Expect The Worst
Showers and thunderstorms will be most common through the day Friday, with the highest coverage from late morning into the early evening. Storm chances linger into Friday night. Temperatures will struggle to climb beyond the upper 60s to low 70s before dropping into the 50s for inland areas tonight and the mid 60s along the coast. If you can, plan commutes around the midday and evening windows when the heaviest rain is expected.
Winds, Bays And Boaters
Northeast winds will ramp up to around 10–15 mph with frequent gusts of 25–30 mph inland and stronger gusts along the coast. Bay and nearshore Gulf waters are under a Gale Warning into Saturday morning. Seas are forecast to build to roughly 6–9 feet nearshore and 9–13 feet offshore, which will make small craft and casual day boating hazardous. Mariners should secure vessels and avoid heading out if at all possible. Coastal neighborhoods can also expect it to feel noticeably windier than farther inland.
Commute Tips
Give yourself extra travel time, steer clear of low spots and bridges that tend to collect water, and never drive through flooded lanes, turn around, don’t drown. If you rely on public transit, check for service alerts before leaving and be ready for delays where intersections are known to flood.
We flagged this setup in our April 30 forecast; see how this chilly Friday soaking set up for background. We will update readers if watches are upgraded to warnings or if local closures start to roll in.
