Houston Marathon weather: Here's the forecast for the Chevron Houston Marathon

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's almost time for thousands of runners to lace up and run the streets of Houston for the annual Chevron Houston Marathon!

But what weather will greet them at the starting line?

Our early outlook calls for near-ideal running conditions, but it all hinges on a cold front expected to arrive a few days before the race begins. That cold front is predicted to arrive on Thursday, Jan. 12. As high pressure settles in behind the front the following days, the sky will clear out and temperatures will drop to near or below seasonal averages for the weekend.

That Saturday morning we expect temperatures to bottom out in the upper 30s and low 40s under a clear sky for the start of the We Are Houston 5K run. High temperatures that day should only warm into the lower 60s with a light north wind.

Then on Sunday morning, we expect temperatures to bottom out in the low-to-mid 50s for the start of the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. There will likely be a light south breeze under 10 mph with a mostly clear sky and low humidity. Temperatures will climb to near 70 in the afternoon.

At this time we expect a rain-free weekend.

As the race approaches we will continue to monitor forecast weather conditions, and we will update you if there are any significant changes to our forecast thinking.