textproduct: Houston/Galveston

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry and warmer conditions will persist through the week and into the weekend.

- A significant warming trend Friday into the weekend with some locations potentially seeing their first 90-degree days of the year.

DISCUSSION

Issued at 153 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Dry and hot conditions, with the potential for near-record or record breaking temperatures at some locations are the main weather story over the next several days. Surface high pressure centered to our east continues to dominate the weather across the region today with dry and warm southerly winds. Aloft, the region continues to be influenced by a strong high pressure ridge (594 dam) centered over the southwestern CONUS, bringing unseasonably high temperatures for mid/late March. Heat will intensify over the next 72 hours as this ridge slightly amplifies and expands eastward into the region from Friday into the weekend. Ensemble guidance continues to show 850 temperatures close to the 90th - 99.5th percentile of climatology (according to NAEFS and GEFS), especially west of I-45. Based on the NBM probabilistic data for temperatures, the Brazos Valley area (CLL) will have the highest probability (around 70 to 85 percent)of temperatures greater than 90F on Saturday.

By early next week, the ridging aloft breaks down a bit as a weak and generally dry surface cold front attempts to move southward through the region. No significant impacts are expected, other than temperatures becoming a couple of degrees "less warm" with highs mainly in the mid 80s.

AVIATION

(12Z TAF Issuance) Issued at 627 AM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

VFR vis/cig to prevail through the TAF period. Winds will generally be light and from the south. However, a brief period of southeasterlies is possible during the late afternoon and early evening hours, especially from IAH points south to the coast.

MARINE

Issued at 153 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

With the high pressure centered over north-central Gulf, the region continues to be influenced by light to occasionally moderate southeasterly flow and seas of around 1 to 3 ft. This pattern will persist through the weekend. Little to no rain is expected.

PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS

College Station (CLL) 75 50 83 54 / 0 0 0 0 Houston (IAH) 75 54 82 59 / 0 0 0 0 Galveston (GLS) 69 62 72 64 / 0 0 0 0

HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

TX...None. GM...None.