HOUSTON, Texas — Monday is bringing some cloud cover and brief relief to Southeast Texas, but do not settle in. A surge of tropical moisture is pushing scattered storms across the region — and once that clears out, a serious and sustained stretch of heat takes its place.
Storm coverage today will be uneven depending on where you live. Coastal areas could see 60 to 80 percent storm coverage, while the Houston metro sits closer to 40 to 60 percent. Communities farther inland will see the least activity, somewhere between 20 and 40 percent.
Street flooding is a real possibility Monday afternoon
The Weather Prediction Center has placed parts of Southeast Texas under a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall — level one on a four-point scale, but still worth your attention.
Widespread flooding is not in the forecast. However, a slow-moving storm dropping heavy rain in a short window can produce street flooding and standing water fast, especially in low-lying neighborhoods and areas with poor drainage. Give yourself extra travel time if you are heading out Monday afternoon or evening.
The real story this week is the heat building in
Temperatures stay manageable today. Houston tops out around 93 degrees with a heat index near 100 — uncomfortable but not dangerous for most.
That window closes quickly.
Rain chances fall sharply Tuesday as high pressure begins to strengthen. Temperatures then climb steadily through the rest of the week. By Friday and into the weekend, highs are expected to push into the upper 90s and possibly reach 100 degrees. Heat index values could climb back above 105 by then.
Wednesday through Friday should be mostly dry across the metro, with only a slim chance of isolated storms.
One tropical system worth tracking
Activity is picking up across the Atlantic this week. One developing system in the eastern Atlantic now carries a 60% chance of forming into a tropical depression over the next seven days.
No direct threat to Texas is expected at this time. But forecasters are monitoring its westward movement and will update guidance as it develops.
Are you ready for the heat heading into the weekend? Share how you plan to stay cool in the comments below.