HOUSTON – A strengthening ridge of high pressure is in control, bringing hot temperatures, fewer clouds, and no rain. The high pressure will move east into the Midwest and East Coast for 4th of July weekend, boosting temperatures above average from Chicago to Baltimore. As the high pressure moves east, heat remains in for Houston but shower and storm chances return for the start of July.
Afternoon highs will generally range from 92 to 96 degrees through much of the week, with overnight lows falling into the upper 70s and lower 80s.
While this won’t be an extreme heat wave by Houston standards, the lack of rainfall combined with several consecutive days of triple-digit heat indices will make for a prolonged stretch of summer heat. Most afternoons will feature heat index values between 104 and 107 degrees, and there may be isolated spots that briefly exceed those numbers.
Saharan Dust Moving in:
A dense plume of Saharan dust is moving into the southeast on Sunday night. The dust will settle over Houston on Monday and begin to move out on Tuesday. Expect hazy skies, potential for poor air quality, and vivid sunrises and sunsets.
Saharan dust is back! How it will impact traveling, hurricanes, air quality, and sunsets in Texas
Rip Current Risk Monday:
If you plan to cool down in any Gulf facing beaches there is a rip current risk.
There are some simple things to remember if you’re heading to the coast.
If you can’t swim or are an inexperienced swimmer, think, when the waves are high, stay dry.
In calmer waters, don’t let the water go above your knees. Never swim alone. If you are in doubt, don’t go out, and always swim near a lifeguard.
Tropical Trouble:
Also, monitoring an area of tropical development off of the Southeast Coast. It has a low chance to form into a named storm.
Read more about it here: Tropical Trouble: Tracking a new area for tropical disturbance near Florida’s coast
10 Day Forecast:
For now, Houston’s weather pattern is firmly locked into summer mode: hot afternoons, warm nights, plenty of humidity, and very few opportunities for cooling rain.
The beginning of July, hit and miss daily showers and storms are possible through 4th of July. Thankfully, no widespread rainfall is expected at this time.