Weather

How to navigate Houston’s Weather:

Have you ever marveled at the unpredictable weather swings in Houston? One day, it’s all sunshine and a comfortable 75 degrees, and the very next day, you’re greeted with rain and a chilly 40 degrees. Sometimes, these fluctuations occur within a single day, turning your morning plans into an entirely different experience by the afternoon. With such capricious weather, planning outdoor events and choosing the right gear can be a perplexing task.

To navigate Houston’s ever-changing weather, it’s a good practice to consult the 10-day forecast as a rough guide. However, keep in mind that Houston’s weather can shift suddenly, making long-range predictions less reliable. The key to staying prepared is to pay close attention to the day’s radar on the morning of your event.  What the radar shows 3 hours before your event is the most crucial and up-to-date information for making your outdoor plans.

How you look at the 3 hours radar is important though.  Are the green/red “clouds” forming or moving across the map?  When I see the clouds forming out of what seems like nowhere, on the radar, I will keep an eye on it but I don’t change my plans.  If the green/red “clouds” are moving across the map, it likely means they have already formed and they are coming your way. While the timing may still have some variability, it’s a more likely scenario that weather will do as the radar predicts.  So in these situations, I keep a very close eye on the direction of the storm and where I’m going to be exactly.

I’ve camped when the weather called for 100% rain for 10 days straight. I’ve hiked where it rained the entire drive there and the entire drive home but not a drop during the hike. I’ve camped when there was just a tiny circle of no rain that was over me or on the edge of a huge storm that Houston got but about 1 hour away, we just got some mist.

So, stay vigilant and assess the radar to make informed decisions about your outdoor plans.

To read more about our weather tips, check out this blog post.