HOUSTON — Severe weather can happen in Houston any time of the year and while there are no indications we're about to battle anything like that any time soon, long-range outlooks suggest a potent system coming through late next week, possibly a day or two after Christmas.
This system could produce locally heavy rain and even a few tornadoes.
What's happening during the Yuletide may have your inflatable front-yard Santa shivering from the wind and rain but no so much the cold. Temperatures will generally remain above normal, in the 70s, spare a few days here and there.
Christmas day will be warm with winds off the Gulf as a mid-level ridge of high pressure is amplified due to approaching upper-level low pressure in the southwest. Combined, these pressure systems will pull tropical air up from the Gulf and result in a damp and humid Christmas day with highs in the low 70s under clouds and occasional showers. Once the upper low pushes in, a surface low may develop the Thursday after Christmas (December 27) in the near-shore Gulf waters. That could produce enough helicity and CAPE to get a few weak tornadoes going. Otherwise, it spells squally rain.
Until then, it's smooth sailing for the most part. Expect areas of dense fog overnight impacting your Tuesday morning commute, followed by rain showers this Wednesday morning. From then until late next week, a dry period will commence. -Meteorologist Brooks Garner
