Friday’s Forecast:
HOUSTON – Friday will bring an increase in cloud cover with a 20% chance for scattered light rain showers. Temperatures will be warmer with temperatures climbing back to the mid-60s to nearly 70 degrees.
Recommended Videos
Next big Arctic blast:
Temperatures in Houston will get near 70° Friday but another arctic blast arrives this weekend. The actual cold front arrives at noon Saturday but the cold air is slow to arrive.
Houston Marathon Forecast:
Thousands of runners and walkers take to the streets of Houston this Sunday. Temperatures at the starting line will be in the mid-30s but it will feel like the upper-20s with the wind chill. Temperatures will warm to the lower-40s through the morning under sunny skies. It was actually colder last year.
The biggest factor, as any marathoner or even casual runner will tell you, is if you’re fighting a headwind, which makes for a much more difficult run during those 13.1 or 26.2 miles.
This year we will be dealing with pretty strong breezy coming from the north at 15 mph. This will be a stout headwind for half marathoners between miles 9-11. This will cause a headwind for full-marathon runners between miles 11 and 12 and also for miles 13-18.
Snow possible late Monday to Tuesday morning:
The Arctic air spills into the region Sunday and lasts through Wednesday. Both long-range models, the American and European, show an area of low pressure east of South Texas bringing a surge of Gulf moisture into that very cold environment. Notice how similar the forecast is. Both have snow in Houston Tuesday morning!
Through the weekend the Stormtracker 2 Weather Team will track changes as they come in and pass them along on all our platforms.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW:
These scenarios WILL change over the next few days so any discussion about who will see snow/sleet/freezing rain is futile at this point. But, the likelihood of seeing some type of wintry scenario is becoming more likely.
Best advice a week out is to get some preparations in place for your plants (bring them in or cover them Sunday.) And bring in your pets Sunday. Pipes freeze when temperatures fall to the teens. Right now I’m forecasting mid-20s for Houston Tuesday morning. But with the threat of it getting colder it’s a good idea Saturday, or sooner, to cover exposed pipes and drain your sprinkler system. There is no harm in winterizing your system.
Let’s talk about how we forecast winter weather, it’s a process. This past weekend, I started getting texts asking, “Is it going to snow?” I get it, the long-range data you can find online is tempting to buy in to, but here’s the thing: it’s often way off. If I had a nickel for every time the 10-day American model predicted a hurricane hitting Houston, I’d be rich!
There’s a careful process we follow when looking at what the future holds. It’s not just about glancing at one model; it’s about analyzing, comparing, and interpreting the data. I’ve put together this video to explain how it all works. Check it out.
10-day Forecast:
For the second year in a row Martin Luther King Day will start cold! Last year the parade was postponed. It will be dry Monday morning but temperatures will start in the upper 20s.
The coldest day on the forecast is Tuesday and that is the day winter precipitation is possible. We could start every day at or below freezing from Monday through next Saturday.
