Houston faces near-100 °F temperatures as Tropical Storm Bertha weakens offshore

Houston is set to experience near-100 °F temperatures today, with forecasts showing highs of 100 °F in some locations after a 99 °F reading yesterday. The heat is driven by a northeasterly flow on the western side of Tropical Storm Bertha, which is weakening as maximum winds have dropped from 60 to 50 mph and the storm’s center remains close to the Louisiana coast.

Bertha is expected to continue hugging the Gulf Coast and lose strength over the next few days. Models agree that the storm will weaken further, whether it stays near the shoreline or drifts 100-200 miles offshore. Most of the storm’s core rain is displaced south of its center, directing the bulk of precipitation toward the middle and lower Texas coast, from Freeport to Corpus Christi. Houston itself is likely to see only scattered thunderstorms this evening, unrelated to the storm’s outer bands.

Rain chances will increase along the coast tomorrow as Bertha’s southern flank approaches, with potential accumulations of up to an inch near Galveston and Matagorda Bay and slightly higher amounts south of Freeport. From Friday through the weekend, only isolated storms are expected, and no flood alerts have been issued.

Reliant Energy, a local utility sponsor, provided heat-related energy-saving suggestions, including raising thermostats by four degrees when away for more than four hours, limiting use of heat-producing appliances during peak heat, and closing blinds to reduce indoor temperatures.