Front brings line of storms, major temperature swing to Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Get your outdoor fun in Thursday! A strong cold front arriving Thursday night is going to blast us back into winter for the rest of Spring Break.

The Gulf breeze will strengthen overnight, which will cause temperatures to warm from around 60 at midnight to the mid 60s by sunrise. You’ll notice plentiful clouds and higher humidity out the door in the morning, and that will translate into a 40% chance of showers during the day. Temperatures will warm to near 80 in the afternoon, but it looks like the “cap” of stable air aloft will hold and likely prevent those showers from blossoming into thunderstorms.

If any of the afternoon showers north of Houston manage to grow into thunderstorms, then they could rotate and produce severe weather. Otherwise we’ll have to wait until early Friday morning for a line of thunderstorms to blast through along with the cold front.

Is any severe weather possible with the cold front coming in Thursday night?

Yes, but the chances you’ll be near a severe thunderstorm are only at 15%. Meanwhile the chance you get needed rain is about 90% when the cold front blows through early Friday morning. The chance for severe weather will open up when scattered thunderstorms pop up north of Houston Thursday afternoon. Those storms should stay away from Houston with the cap of stable air expected to hold over the city. Another chance of severe weather arrives when the cold front blows through Southeast Texas between midnight and 6:00 a.m. Friday. The leading edge of the squall line could pack gusty winds over 60 mph and hail up to 1″ in diameter. A brief, isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, but tornadoes are unlikely. The threat for severe weather will end by 6 a.m., but rain will continue off and on for most of the morning.

How cold will it get behind the front, and how long will the chilly air stick around?

Temperatures should drop into the 40s Friday morning, and when you factor in the north wind up to 30 mph, it will feel like it’s near freezing over most of Southeast Texas! Temperatures will have a tough time climbing back into the 50s Friday afternoon because of the cold, gusty winds. High temperatures over the weekend should stay in the 50s with mornings in the 40s. Monday will be the last really cold day, and because of a rainy disturbance passing overhead, temperatures may be stuck in the 40s all day.

When does spring begin?

Spring begins at 4:24 p.m. Monday, March 20. However, it will still feel like winter. Warmer weather will return later next week