Houston is experiencing winter, spring, and even summer-like conditions within just seven days, and while that doesn't come as a surprise, given that we're going from one season to another, the extreme nature of both the cold and the warmth is worth noting.
Temperatures this weekend in Houston will be challenging, with daily record highs in the upper 80s. This warmup is fueled by an expansive heat ridge building over the southwestern U.S., which will also bring record heat to cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix this week.
ABC13's partners at Climate Central found that the number of days Houston witnesses above normal temperatures during the spring has increased by nearly a month, 26 days to be specific. Furthermore, four of the top 5 warmest springs on record, from March to May, have occurred within the past 20 years.
And not only is Houston entering a warm stretch, but also a dry one. This means any current drought conditions could expand and/or worsen, pollen counts could rise (especially on windy days), and the local wildfire risk could climb when conditions are right, like after a cold front moves through.
Specifically for the current drought, a dry weather pattern is not what gardeners, farmers, or ranchers want to hear. And if it sounds familiar to be talking about the current drought, it's because the region has been dealing with these conditions since last fall.
Back in October, ABC13 Meteorologist Elyse Smith was able to visit Coleman Locke on his ranch in Wharton County. At the time, he wasn't too concerned about the drought... nothing he hadn't seen before.
Fast forward to today, he tells ABC13 that things are getting "a bit scary," saying most area ranchers and farmers are still hanging in there thanks to the handful of storm systems we've had over the past few weeks in southeast Texas. But overall, Locke says worried given the lack of widespread rain coinciding with the growing season.
And while the upcoming outlook is expected to be warmer and drier than normal for a week or two, that doesn't mean the entire spring will be the same. This is also the time of year when severe weather and storms can sneak up on Houstonians.
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