Hazardous Weather Outlook

HOUSTON, January 29, 2008 - TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WEST TO NORTHWEST OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT NOW PUSHING OFF THE COAST. THE GUSTY WINDS COMBINED WITH A SHARP DROP IN HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR ALL OF THE AREA THROUGH EARLY EVENING. A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 8 PM. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH OVER ALL BUT THE COASTAL AREAS LATER THIS EVENING.

TEMPERATURES WILL DROP QUICKLY TONIGHT AS THE COLDER AND DRIER AIRMASS SETTLES INTO THE AREA. READINGS COULD DROP BELOW FREEZING OVER THE FAR NORTHERN COUNTIES.

THURSDAY A STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA ON THURSDAY. MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT. DUE TO A STRONG ATMOSPHERIC SHEAR PROFILE AND VERY LOW FREEZING LEVELS...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME STRONG OR SEVERE MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10. THE TIME FRAME FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE 5 AM TO NOON THURSDAY.

THE COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT.