National weather reports are warning people in most of the country, from the southwest to the eastern seaboard, that the unseasonably warm weather they've been enjoying is coming to an end. Temperatures are dropping, snow is falling, and people are unpacking ice scrapers and winter coats. If you're new to Houston, you may be wondering how much of this sudden wintry weather we can expect, and what you'll need to do to prepare yourself for winter in Houston.
The answers to your questions are, “Not much,” and, “Get ready to have fun outside!” It's true that Houston's climate is sometimes a reason for concern. Summers are extremely hot and humid, and can bring dangerous weather from floods to fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Winter, on the other hand, is when you'll see Houston at its best. In fact, our mild winter weather is one of the top reasons why people choose to move to Houston.
Does it snow in Houston?
If you've followed Houston's news over the past year, you'll know that we had a snowstorm last February that amazed us all. Don't let this worry you. When you take a closer look, you'll see that the amazing part of the story was that it snowed at all. In the great storm of February 2011, less than one inch of snow fell. Roads and windshields iced up, and this was a dangerous problem, but only because Houstonians so rarely see ice or snow. Adding last February's snowfall to this chart from the Weather Research Center, you'll see that snow has fallen here only 35 times since 1895. We've seen more than two inches of snow only five times in the past 116 years! Yes, it does snow in Houston, but the white stuff is a novelty around here, not a common problem.
What's the average Houston winter like?
Wondering what you can expect from the Houston climate year after year? Climate Zone offers this helpful chart of our average weather patterns. You'll see that, from October to March, our average temperatures are in the 60s, with an average low of 39.7 degrees in January, and an average high of 81.6 in October. For an idea of what winters in Houston feel like for everyday folks, check out the forums on City-Data.com. Houstonians are advising newcomers to leave behind most of their winter gear. Sweaters and fleece will sometimes come in handy. Whether to bring a winter coat or space heater is a matter of personal choice. Freezing temperatures do happen here, but not every year, and usually only at night.
What will this winter in Houston bring?
For the 2011-12 winter season, The Houston Chronicle's Eric Berger offers this forecast: Houston weather will be dry and mild, with a few nights of freezing temperatures, perhaps, but none of the snow we saw last February. This is not entirely good news. Texas, on the whole, is in the midst of its worst drought in history, so we could all desperately use any kind of precipitation. Houston will get rain this winter, but not much, and less than the average. Snow is not likely to happen at all. If dry, warm weather is your cup of tea, you've definitely moved to the right city!
Posted by Melanie Belasco Levy on 10/27/11
