Originally published at: Houston’s heat will now build through mid-August. Also, what’s going on with the tropics all of a sudden? – Space City Weather
In brief: In today’s post we discuss building high pressure and its upward pressure on daily temperatures. Triple digits are likely for much of the region by the weekend. Also, we take a look at the Atlantic tropics, which are starting to come alive.
Here comes the heat
For some locations in Houston yesterday, the high temperature topped out in the 80s. With widespread showers during the daytime, temperatures even fell into the 70s during the afternoon or evening hours for some locations. It was all rather pleasant. Unfortunately, it also is going to be fleeting. Highs will climb back into at least the mid-90s today. And then, for at least the next week, we are going to generally see highs in the upper 90s to 100 degrees for all but areas near the coast. This comes courtesy of a ridge of high pressure which should peak over the weekend. This is a classic August high that will bring baking conditions outdoors. Steel thyselves.
Tuesday
Highs today will be in the mid- to upper-90s for most locations. As high pressure has not fully taken control I do think we’ll see a few isolated to scattered showers this afternoon, but overall chances today are probably 20 percent, or less, compared to yesterday’s 60 percent or higher. Skies will otherwise be mostly sunny with light southerly winds. Low temperatures tonight will only fall to around 80 degrees for most locations.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
Hot and sunny. Each day will have high temperatures in the vicinity of the upper 90s, with warm nights only dropping to around 80 degrees. For coastal areas you can expect highs a couple of degrees cooler, but nights a few degrees warmer as air temperatures are modified by the Gulf waters. Rain chances will be about 10 percent, daily.
Saturday and Sunday
Our daytime temperatures will take a step up this weekend, with fairly widespread chances to hit 100 degrees for inland areas of Houston. Locations a bit closer to the coast will probably stay just below the century mark. But bottom line, it’s going to be sunny, it’s going to be hot, and that’s just how things go in these parts during mid-August. This really is the dead of summer.
Next week
Not much appears to change next week, at least for the first few days. Is August over yet?
Atlantic tropics
After a very quiet period we are starting to see the tropics wake up. The good news is that there are no immediate threats to Texas, or the Gulf. However as we get to this time of the summer, the deep tropics tend to see an uptick in activity as tropical waves roll off the West Coast of Africa. And that’s what we’re seeing. The most prominent of these is an area of low pressure in the central Atlantic Ocean.
Various models have been suggesting this system will develop for awhile, and track toward the Caribbean Sea, or possibly turn to the northwest before doing so. Overall, background conditions are fairly hostile in the Atlantic, so I wouldn’t necessarily be counting on this system to become the Atlantic’s first hurricane. But we’ll keep an eye on things and alert you if there’s anything to be concerned about. For now, the answer is no.
