Meteorologist Kim Castro predicts wetter weather for Houston as high pressure shifts.
HOUSTON — If you’ve noticed the forecast turning wetter in Houston lately, there’s a reason — and KHOU 11 Meteorologist Kim Castro is breaking it down.
Gulf moisture + shifting high pressure = storms
Right now, high pressure is sitting just west of Texas. While that pattern has been keeping things mostly dry across the Houston area, it’s also been pulling in a lot of humidity from the Gulf of Mexico.
But that’s about to change.
“As that high pressure slides further west, it opens the door for more Gulf moisture to build in,” Kim explains. That increased humidity, combined with supportive upper air patterns, allows for storm systems to develop and bring significant rainfall.
What to expect this weekend
Castro says the transition starts this weekend. A new upper-level low will help lift that Gulf moisture into the atmosphere, triggering rainstorms with higher coverage across the region.
“This weekend means we are going to see a higher likelihood of you getting rain in your backyard,” she says.
While previous storm chances have been hit-or-miss, this setup means more widespread activity during the afternoon hours. “When we have just a 20% chance, the likelihood of you getting rain is not all that high. But now, we’re seeing that increase.”
- A 40% chance of storms Saturday, with activity starting earlier in the day.
- A 60% chance on Sunday, with rain potentially lingering into the evening.
- A continuation of unsettled weather into early next week.
A slight cooldown ahead
While this setup brings more rain, it doesn’t mean major relief from the heat — but it does help. Temperatures will dip slightly after today, which Castro says will be the hottest day in the seven-day forecast.
“If you’re looking for a window with less rain and more outdoor activity, that’s going to come by Wednesday into Thursday,” she adds.
Until then, grab the umbrella — and stay weather aware.