More heat, humidity and triple-digit temps:
We hit 100° Thursday afternoon, marking just the second time this summer that Houston has reached the century mark. More triple-digit temperatures are in the forecast. Combined with Houston’s humidity, afternoon heat index values will climb to between 108° and 110°. The current Heat Advisory runs through Friday evening, and I expect it will likely be extended through the weekend and possibly into early next week as this dangerous heat wave continues.
Small chance of rain Friday and Saturday:
A frontal boundary in north Texas will send an outflow toward Houston. It looks to me like it will struggle to stay together and bring meaningful rain to southeast Texas. Our best chance of showers will be in our far northern cities Friday and Saturday nights.
No end in sight to this unrelenting heat:
The heat is courtesy of a strong ridge of high pressure. This ridge is bringing sinking air into Houston, and as that air sinks, it gets compressed and heats up.
This pattern shows no signs of letting up through the weekend. While there is a small chance of rain Saturday, it’s not enough of a change in the overall weather pattern to bring temperatures down in any meaningful way.
In other words, the heat is here to stay.
Triple-digit heat:
Friday should be another 100° high in Houston. That will make three days of triple digit heat in Houston this year. Saturday and Sunday look hotter. Last year we had 8 100° days in Houston. The all-time record is 46 from 2011.
Tracking the tropics:
All is quiet. Long range data has us looking in the Atlantic the first week of September for some possible development. We’ll keep you posted.
10 Day Forecast:
We’re in the hottest stretch of the summer right now.
There is a small chance of rain, but it won’t affect temperatures. The strong ridge of high pressure finally begins to break down in the middle of next week, but as you can see temperatures won’t drop very much.
The heat may ease a bit, but summer isn’t giving up just yet.