Honestly, if you looked at the thermometer earlier this month, you probably thought we’d skipped winter entirely and fast-forwarded straight to April. Houston has been on a literal heater lately. We hit 84°F on January 2nd—breaking a record—and then did it again on January 6th at 82°F. It's been weird. But the Houston weather forecast 15 days out shows that the "winter-ish" vibes are finally trying to make a comeback, even if they aren't exactly bringing a snowstorm with them.
Right now, we are sitting in a bit of a dry spell. Today, January 15, is basically a "chamber of commerce" day: sunny, high of 59°F, and a crisp northwest breeze. It feels like real winter, which is a relief after the muggy 80-degree mess we had last week.
The Weekend Freeze Scare
There’s a lot of chatter about a freeze this weekend. Is it actually going to happen? Well, kinda. If you’re living right in the city or down near the Medical Center, you’re probably safe. But for folks up in Conroe, Tomball, or out toward the Piney Woods, Saturday night into Sunday morning is looking pretty dicey.
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A cold front is sliding through Friday night. It won’t have much moisture to work with—only about a 15% chance of anything falling from the sky—but the air behind it is legit. We are looking at a Sunday morning low of 36°F at IAH. If you’ve got sensitive plants or a particularly dramatic outdoor cat, you might want to bring them in.
The wind is the real story for the weekend. We’ll see gusts from the northeast hitting about 10 mph on Saturday, which will make that 53°F high feel a lot more like 45°F.
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Rain is Finally Coming (We Hope)
The biggest problem we’ve got right now isn’t the cold; it’s the lack of rain. Large chunks of South Houston, Kingwood, and Cypress have officially fallen into "severe drought" territory. It’s been six weeks since some neighborhoods saw a real, soaking rain.
The Houston weather forecast 15 days trajectory suggests the pattern finally breaks next week. Around Tuesday, January 20, and into Wednesday, the moisture starts surging back from the Gulf. We’re looking at a 25% to 40% chance of light rain by Thursday, January 22. It isn't a "flood your street" kind of rain, but a solid 0.5 to 1.5 inches across the region would do wonders for the lawns that are currently looking like straw.
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What to Expect Through Late January
By the time we hit the end of the 15-day window, around January 24th, we’ll be back in the classic Houston "yo-yo" cycle. Temperatures will rebound into the high 60s or even 70°F by Friday the 23rd, only to potentially get slapped down by another front next weekend.
- Thursday (Today): Pure sun. 59°F high. Perfect for a walk.
- Friday: Clouds start creeping back. 71°F high. It'll feel muggy again for a second.
- Saturday/Sunday: The "cold" snap. Lows in the mid-30s for the burbs.
- Next Week: Cloudy, gray, and finally some rain chances.
Basically, keep your layers handy. You'll need the heavy coat Sunday morning, but you'll probably be back in a t-shirt by the following Friday. That's just how January in Southeast Texas works.
If you’re planning any outdoor projects or gardening, focus on the "wet" window starting next Tuesday. With the drought conditions being what they are, any planting you do right now is going to need heavy manual watering until that mid-week front arrives. Also, check your tire pressure; these 20-degree temperature swings are notorious for triggering those annoying dashboard sensors.