Discussion
One of the worst types of weather to occur when stricken with influenza is "cold and damp". As I write this outlook, this is one of the few times in my life when I did not relish the chance for "real winter weather". Flu or not, our forecast has lots of cold weather not just for Houston, but also for locales "up north".
Unfortunately for snow lovers, the dreary skies will be moving along on Wednesday, taking the moisture needed for frozen precipitation into the Mid-South and Appalachia. The strong, closed cold core low aloft will permit frost and freezing conditions to settle in on Wednesday night, with a few portions of the Houston metro (Huntsville and Livingston come to mind) dipping into the upper teens (F).
Some moderation is likely to set in by the weekend, and it would appear that our next dealing with cold air will wait until Monday. At that point, the strongest surge of Arctic air so far this winter will dig far to the south. While temperatures will turn downward again, this will be a dry frontal passage with no rain or snow to deal with locally. There is an outside chance this brutally cold domain could morph into a sizable snow event for the Ohio Valley and Northeast, so any travel plans on and just after Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday could be adversely affected.
Flu...I hate you...go away already!
Useful Links
ECMWF
NCEP MODEL ANALYSES AND GUIDANCE
PSU e-WALL MEDIUM RANGE RANGE ENSEMBLE (GFS)
The Forecast
Monday: Mostly to partly sunny and chilly. Highs 47 Livingston to 51 Freeport
Monday Night: Clear with record cold temperatures. A hard freeze likely with widespread frost. Lows 24 Shepherd to 28 Clute
Tuesday: Sunny and warmer. Highs 50 Cleveland to 54 Lake Jackson
Tuesday Night: Clear and chilly. Lows 32 Splendora to 36 Angleton
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and milder. Highs 60 New Caney to 64 Iowa Colony
Extended Outlook
Thursday: Partly sunny and mild. High 72, Low 41
Friday: Partly sunny and mild. High 70, Low 44
Saturday: Partly sunny, windy and colder. High 55, Low 38
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