In brief: After widespread showers and thunderstorms on Monday, clearer skies and calmer weather will prevail on Tuesday and Wednesday. However we’ll return to a wetter pattern on Thursday that will bring another chance of heavy rain, especially to areas north of Houston. The weekend looks sunny and hot, with summer on the near horizon. A rare spring-time morning in mid-May in Texas. (Weather Bell)Tuesday After a weak front pushed into Houston on Monday night, we’re seeing slightly drier air and pleasantly cooler temperatures this morning. Lows have fallen into the mid-60s for much of the regi ..read more

In brief: Strong thunderstorms are approaching Houston from the southwest and will soon spread into the metro area. The period of 2 pm to 6 pm should see the strongest storms, with hail, damaging winds, a few tornadoes, and some street flooding possible. Please take this threat seriously. As expected, we are seeing the development of strong thunderstorms to the southwest of Houston this afternoon. These storms will gradually progress eastward through the afternoon and early evening hours before they exit to the east. At this point the most severe weather appears likely to occur along and south ..read more

In brief: Storms are likely in Houston today, after noon. The line of showers and thunderstorms may hit the area during the critical hours after school, or during the early portions of the evening commute, so please remain weather aware. After that we will have a couple of calmer weather days. Monday A number of ingredients for severe weather are stacking up this morning across the Houston area, including atmospheric moisture, instability, shear, and a trigger in the form of a weak front that will push through. All of these factors are likely to produce a line of showers and thunderstorms, som ..read more

In brief: We’re likely to see the development of widespread showers, in addition to some thunderstorms, later this morning in the Houston area. Activity should be most pronounced this afternoon before the area likely starts to clear out for a bit this evening. If you’re taking mom out, bring an umbrella and check the radar just to be safe. A lot of the ingredients necessary for moderate to heavy rainfall are percolating in the atmosphere near Houston right now. We’ve got plenty of moisture and instability. There’s also the impetus for lift, to carry the warm air at the surface higher into the ..read more

In brief: If you have clear skies and minimal light pollution, look to the north for a chance that you may see the aurora borealis (or northern lights) here in Southeast Texas. We’ll keep this brief. A massive, if not historic solar storm has unleashed a barrage of solar flares toward Earth. Those arrived today, the strongest solar storm in at least 20 years to impact us. We have seen reports all over Europe of the aurora being visible. Not just visible…VISIBLE. Those reports have spread into the U.S. now, with much of Georgia, parts of Mississippi, Mobile, AL, and now Pinehurst and The Woodla ..read more

In brief: Quiet weather, (hopefully) less haze and smoke, and lower humidity will welcome us today and most of Saturday. Scattered to numerous showers and storms will bring a heavy rain chance back to the area on Sunday and Monday. We will be watching for flooding risks again to the north of Metro Houston. I just want to start with a quick thank you to all that replied to our call for assistance earlier this week for our partners at the University of Houston working on weather messaging research. Nearly 200 of you responded, which is both amazing — and overwhelming! The small team of researche ..read more

In brief: There are several things to watch for in the forecast, including hot temperatures today, some isolated thunderstorms tonight, and the potential for rain on Sunday and Monday in the absence of high pressure. Also, if you enjoy dry air, then Friday night and Saturday morning will be your time to shine. Thursday Houston will experience one more warm and particularly humid day today before we cool off slightly. Whether temperatures hit 90 degrees today will depend partly on sky cover this afternoon, when skies should be partly to mostly cloudy. Winds will generally be light, from the sou ..read more

In brief: Houston faces a couple of more warm-to-hot days before a weak front arrives to cool us down a bit. Saturday looks best for outdoor activities this weekend as rain chances increase in time to possibly put a damper on Mother’s Day in Houston. Also today, we invite you to participate in a University of Houston research project that will help us refine our flood scale. More information below. Wednesday Houston narrowly missed 90 degrees on Tuesday, with a high of 88 degrees at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Today is likely to see similar temperatures, with highs in the upper 80s to about ..read more

In brief: Well, it’s over. In today’s post we discuss last week’s extraordinary precipitation event that finally ended Sunday, and some lessons learned. Houston faces calmer weather this week, with two frontal boundaries coming later this week and over the weekend to bring some drier and slightly cooler air into the region. Unfortunately it does appear as we’ll see some decent rain chances on Mother’s Day. Seven-day rainfall totals for the period ending Sunday morning. (NOAA)A week of rains The map above shows rainfall totals over the last week, and for locations north of Interstate 10 they’re ..read more

In brief: Morning rain has thus far been manageable, but repeated rounds of thunderstorms along and on either side of I-10 will likely cause ponding and street flooding in spots this morning and afternoon. Flood Watches remain in effect through evening. Happening now One round of heavy rain and storms has exited to our east. Rain totals from that round were manageable in the Houston area and most points north to Conroe. A couple flash flood warnings were needed north of Lake Livingston and back into Huntsville, where totals approached two inches. Now, we’re seeing a west-east line of storms fr ..read more