Good morning. We are actually somewhat greater than two days out from an Arctic blast that can carry the Houston area its coldest climate since a deep freeze in February 2021. Should you’ll recall, that freeze prompted widespread energy outages throughout the metro space as energy vegetation have been taken offline as a consequence of improper winterization. For lots of people, this was depressing. For just a few folks, it was lethal.
This lack of energy magnified a chilly climate occasion that was already tremendously harmful to pipes and vegetation. State officers say they’ve addressed these winterization considerations at energy vegetation, and missing ample experience we’re taking them at their phrase. What we will say is that the magnitude of this Arctic air prone to be much like February 2021, though not fairly as deep or extended. It’s going to present a significant check of whether or not the state’s electrical grid has, in truth, been hardened. We additionally don’t anticipate in any snow, sleet, or freezing rain to complicate travels on space roadways.
The picture under compares the hour-by-hour temperatures noticed through the February 2021 freeze (blue line) with the present forecast for temperatures (white line) at Bush Intercontinental Airport from the Nationwide Climate Service.
Tuesday
There has not been a lot change to our general pondering relating to the forecast. We’ll see largely cloudy skies right this moment, with highs within the mid-50s and modest northerly winds. Low temperatures on Tuesday night time will drop into the mid-40s.
Wednesday
Situations will likely be loads like Tuesday, with related highs. The one significant change is that winds will shift to return from the southeast by Wednesday night time, with lows dropping into the higher 40s.
Thursday
The primary half of Thursday will see a good warmup, because the onshore circulate begins to carry a southerly circulate. Areas south of Interstate 10 could even briefly attain 70 levels earlier than the entrance barrels via through the afternoon and early night hours. Whereas we will’t rule out just a few gentle showers, we don’t anticipate any impactful precipitation. We’re nonetheless taking a look at sharp temperature drops within the instant aftermath of the entrance’s passage, and gusty winds to 35 or 40 mph. Situations in a single day into Friday morning will likely be extraordinarily disagreeable.
Friday
Low temperatures will backside out on Friday morning. How chilly? There’s nonetheless some wiggle room on the main points, however lows will possible attain 15 to twenty levels inland of Interstate 10, with barely hotter situations within the metro space of 17 to 22 levels, and lows within the low- to mid-20s nearer to the coast. Though skies will likely be largely sunny on Friday, highs will solely heat to close freezing briefly, with blustery winds all through the day. In a single day lows ought to be 2 to five levels hotter on Friday night time.
Saturday
Highs will climb to round 40 levels on Christmas Eve, with largely sunny skies. Journey for the vacations ought to be high-quality, with dry roadways. Lows on Saturday night time will in all probability nonetheless drop into the mid-20s in Houston, with even colder situations additional inland.
Christmas Day
Search for largely sunny skies, with highs within the low 40s on Christmas Day. Lows could drop to freezing, or simply above, in Houston that night time.
Subsequent week
Count on a gentle warming pattern subsequent week, with temperatures within the low 70s by Wednesday. After that? The crystal ball for New Years celebrations stays a bit hazy. Rain probabilities do seem low till late subsequent week, on the earliest.
