Houston wakes up to a soggy Wednesday: showers and thunderstorms are likely, pushing the high to near 86°F under mostly cloudy skies, and the National Weather Service has the area under a Slight Risk (level 2 of 4) for excessive rainfall today — if you’re near Buffalo Bayou or any low-lying block that’s already taken on heavy rain this week, keep an eye on the sky.
Today’s Setup
The Houston/Galveston forecast office expects scattered storms to fire near the coast this morning and expand northeast toward the Piney Woods as the day heats up, with a 58% chance of rain and a high near 86°F. Southeast wind stays light at 5 mph, but forecasters flag isolated 25-45 mph gusts in the stronger cells. Overnight lows settle near 77°F with lingering shower chances tonight.
Best Window To Be Outside
Early morning is your calmest stretch for a walk through Discovery Green or along the bayou trails, since forecasters expect storms to expand inland through the afternoon as daytime heating kicks in. By midday, plan around radar rather than the clock.
Rain, Wind, And Flood Risk
Forecasters say widespread flooding should stay limited today, but anyone in neighborhoods that picked up 3-5+ inches of rain over the past few days is at higher risk for quick runoff and street flooding in any heavier downpour. Keep a packable rain jacket in the car, and if Harvey taught Houston anything, it’s that a go bag emergency evacuation kit belongs in every closet during Gulf Coast storm season. For backup power during any outages, the DARAN 288Wh Power Station is $90 for Prime members this week: /home/daran-288wh-lifepo4-power-station-90-prime-deal/
What To Wear Or Bring
Light clothes, that rain jacket, and shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Hold off on mowing or grilling outdoors until skies clear later in the week.
Gameday And This Weekend
The Houston Astros host the Baltimore Orioles at Daikin Park Saturday, July 18, when drier, more typical summer weather should be settling in behind high pressure moving in from the east. Grab a Houston Astros jersey or Houston Astros fitted cap and Get tickets on SeatGeek before first pitch. Also July 18, Flatland Cavalry plays The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion — pick up a Flatland Cavalry t-shirt and Find tickets on StubHub. UniverSoul Circus visits Sam Houston Race Park Friday, July 17, a good rain-dodging option for families.
Tonight’s Dinner
With storms rolling through, this is a slow cooker chili or beef stew night. Load up a programmable slow cooker or an enameled cast iron Dutch oven and let dinner cook itself while you watch the radar. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
Rain chances trend downward Thursday (35%, high near 90°F) and further into Friday as high pressure noses in from the east, per the Houston/Galveston forecast office, setting up a sunnier, more typical summertime pattern into the weekend. Check the Houston weather forecast for updates, and browse outdoor gear deals while you’re storm-prepping.
