Independence Week holiday weather – Thunderclouds… Are… Go!
By:
Woodlands Online
| Published 07/03/2024
THE WOODLANDS, TX – As most of us wind up the shortened work week in anticipation of the July 4 holidays / long weekend, the Woodlands Online Weather Team is keeping a close eye on the Gulf as Hurricane Beryl plows through Jamaica on its way to Mexico and Texas. Fortunately, its current pace means the first part of our holiday will be summery and dry. Unfortunately, the second half not so much.
Against earlier predictions, we won’t break the 100-degree mark for many days yet. True, the rest of this week and weekend will see highs in the upper 90s with a heat index making it feel like up to 108, but we’ll take what small victories we can. All Wednesday, we’ll see partly cloudy skies – with the barest hint of a spate of rain this afternoon as the clouds move in – with mounting breezes. Though we’ll still be in the 90s when tonight’s outdoor concert at the Pavilion starts, the clouds should provide some relief.
Thursday morning will dawn early – before 6:30 a.m. – but Woodlands Online will already be setting up for our livestreamed broadcast of the official parade, during which temperatures will crawl out of the 80s into the 90s. Again, partly cloudy skies will hopefully keep the full brunt of the sun off our heads, but anyone venturing outdoors today would be advised to wear proper hats and clothing, slather on the sunscreen, and bring lots of water. The mercury will make it up to 99, but some continuing breezes should soothe the brow. The clouds will wander away enough in the evening to give us all clear views of the fireworks displays that will illuminate the Township from multiple areas.
The tide will turn on Friday. While the day will start off serenely enough with slightly cooler temperatures under sunny skies, the impending arrival of Beryl will start to make itself known as we get some isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, dropping about two-tenths of an inch. This is but a presage of what’s to come. On the plus side, another high of 98 will be the hottest we’ll get by far for at least a week. But we’ll get clouds, rain, and storms in abundance to make up for it.
On Saturday, scattered thunderstorms will help keep the high temperature in the mid 90s and the low in the mid 70s, but the additional quarter-inch of rain dropped will start to give us some trouble on the roads. Overnight and into the first half of Sunday, we should get some minor relief from the precipitation, but it will remain slow and steady enough to dump yet another quarter-inch.
But as you go to bed Sunday night, prepare for a lot – a lot – of precipitous rainstorms to hit us for the entirety of next week, bringing a lot of issues along for the ride…
Stay tuned to Woodlands Online as the weather can shift at a moment’s notice thanks to the unpredictability of Gulf hurricanes.
