Small chance for severe storms Thursday, air quality remains bad
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- There's a small chance for big thunderstorms with large hail on Thursday, otherwise it will be another steamy and hazy day as we await the arrival of a weak cool front.
Temperatures overnight will only drop into the mid 70s, about 10 degrees warmer than normal. The steamy air will stick around through the afternoon allowing temperatures to warm to near 90 with a heat index near 100. That's around the time we expect severe storms to start erupting over the Hill Country. Some of of those storms could eventually impact Houston in the evening if they can overcome a "cap" of stable air aloft. If that cap holds, then there will be no storms in Houston. On the flip side, if the cap does not hold, any storms that blows through could have large hail and gusty winds. The chance of getting rain is low, but we want you to stay weather aware in case one of those severe storms does survive it's journey from the Hill Country.
Whether or not it rains, the smoky haze from Mexico and Central America will continue to reduce the air quality.
Are there any more cool fronts coming ahead of summer?
We have a weak one penciled in for Friday! You can expect a delightful drop in the humidity for Friday and most of Saturday. Highs will still warm into the 80s, but morning lows will be closer to seasonal averages in the mid-60s. Unfortunately, the drier air won't stick around for the entire weekend, and by Saturday evening, rain could be returning to Southeast Texas.
Is Mother's Day going to be a washout?
It's possible, but confidence in the details remains low at this time. The weather pattern will feature a slow-moving upper air storm interacting with a warm front moving in from the Gulf of Mexico, so there is the potential for both heavy rainfall and severe weather. If you have any outdoor plans for Mother's Day, you might want to draw up a plan B just in case while we sort out the details.
13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
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