Today's weather for Houston, USA22nd Nov 2009 13:15

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Weather Overview for Houston

Houston has a humid sub-tropical climate with all four seasons. Very long, hot summers and mild winters are accompanied by moderate rainfall which is heavier in the summer months. Hurricanes are possible, as Houston sits on Texas’s east coast on the Gulf of Mexico, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. The hurricane season lasts from June till November, peaking in August and September. Houston is a port city and the fourth largest city in the USA.

Summer, from June till September, is uncomfortably hot and humid. The average high temperature rises from 31°C in June to a peak of 33°C in July and August then gets back down to 30°C in September. Night time temperatures are unpleasant, staying up at 24°C in the peak months. Many things combine to push humidity levels higher and higher; the prevailing southeast winds originating in the deserts of Mexico become incredibly moist as they blow over the sea towards Texas; high heat on the Gulf waters causes rapid evaporation; high humidity itself in league with the high temperatures creates afternoon thunderstorms and the heavy rainfall pushes humidity up even further. The sun does shine for prolonged periods as clouds usually clear immediately after a storm, but it is unlikely you’ll want to stay out in it for long. The thunderstorms become more severe as the peak of hurricane season approaches. Hurricanes are not the only wind-fuelled disasters that terrorise Houston; tornados are sometimes develop, becoming more common near the end of summer.

Autumn, in October and November, is more pleasantly hot. The average high temperature drops to 26°C in October and 21°C in November, with average highs dropping to a much more relaxing 16°C in October and a positively chilly 12°C in November. Hurricanes are still possible at the beginning of the season but the latest ever hurricane to hit Houston was on the 28^th October in 1985. Rain can often be very heavy: this is the season when flooding is most common.

Winter, from December till February, is very mild. The average high temperature does not get below 15°C, seen in January, and the average low does not fall below 6°C, also January. However, there are usually a few very cold days when cold fronts blow in from the North, forcing the temperature down to freezing even in the day time. While it very rarely snows in Houston, these ‘blue northers’ can bring with them freezing rain. However, winter is usually drier than the rest of the year.

Spring, from March till May, heats up rapidly. The average high climbs to 21°C in March, 25°C in April and 28°C in May. In March and April evenings remain pleasantly cool but by mid May night times can see temperatures in the low 20s. The sun returns but rainfall increases again. Thunderstorms are likely and tornados sometimes occur.

Sitting on the Gulf coastal plain, Houston sees little regional variation in weather conditions; it is flat, presenting no barriers to wind and rain. Temperatures are moderated year round by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, avoiding desert-like extremes of heat in the summer and cold temperatures in winter. Houston’s location puts it in the path of hurricanes and humid winds that account for its stifling, stormy summers.

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