Houston rests a week after Beryl as recovery continues

The Houston area is a week away from Hurricane Beryl, and daily storms have brought heavy rain and slowed recovery efforts.

PROBABILITY OF ANOTHER HURRICANE: According to a hurricane expert, the chances of Houston facing another hurricane this season are greater than 20%.

Conditions have finally dried out this week as high pressure builds overhead. While that finally gives residents a chance to clean up with minimal sky delays, it also means temperatures are expected to rise a degree or two.

Unlike Beryl, which brought widespread, heavy rains to southeast Texas, the rain that followed Beryl was not evenly distributed.

According to the Harris County Flood Warning System, Beryl brought rainfall totals to the Houston area of ​​between 6 and 10 inches during its passage last Monday. Rainfall totals between Thursday and Saturday were between 1 and 2 inches for most areas within the I-610 loop.

On the official Houston climate website, Bush Intercontinental Airport, Beryl recorded a daily rainfall record of 5 inches. Since then, more than an inch of additional rain has fallen at the airport. Precipitation at Houston’s Hobby Airport was slightly heavier as Beryl passed through, with that airport receiving 6.6 inches of rain. Precipitation totals at Hobby have been less than an inch in the days since.

Rains in the days following Beryl likely slowed cleanup and restoration efforts. This week offers a much-needed break for people still trying to clear debris from their yards. For the hundreds of thousands of people still without power, a mostly dry spell bodes well for crews working to restore power.

HURRICANE GUIDE: We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of how you can prepare for the remainder of Atlantic hurricane season.

High pressure aloft will limit rain chances to about 20% in the afternoon and early evening through Tuesday. While rain early in the week is not completely out of the forecast, it is a much better outlook than the 40-60% chance that persisted through the weekend. An approaching frontal boundary will bring higher rain chances beyond midweek.

Hopefully the power restorations that need to be done can be done by Wednesday. After that, more widespread storm risks will arrive late in the week when the aforementioned front stalls nearby.

As for temperatures, daily maximums will reach between 33 and 35 degrees. Heat index values ​​will reach potentially dangerous levels, especially for those who still do not have electricity, between 42 and 43 degrees. Thermal safety must remain a priority, especially for those who do not have access to air conditioning.

As expected, the tropics have become calm since Beryl made landfall last week. Let’s celebrate!

SAHARAN DUST AND ASTHMA: Although most people are not exposed to Saharan dust, certain sensitive groups may experience symptoms.

Several large plumes of Saharan dust will prevent any tropical disaster from developing over the next seven days. As the week progresses, eyes will be on the path of these plumes. At this time of year, it is not uncommon to see Saharan dust making its way into the Houston area.

Light to moderate levels of Saharan dust are expected at times this week, so we should expect to see hazy skies and more vibrant sunrises or sunsets. Additionally, these bursts of Saharan dust can aggravate people’s respiratory issues. If you are particularly sensitive to particles, you may notice allergy-like symptoms this week.