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In this weather satellite photo taken of Texas around 12:30 p.m. Friday, skies remain largely cloud-free, thanks to a nearby ridge of high atmospheric pressure.<\/p>\n
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites\/CIRA and NOAA<\/p>\n
Houston weather remains stuck in the summer doldrums this weekend<\/a>, with the relentless one-two punch of heat and humidity wearing us down daily. Our only glimmer of hope for some variation in the weather will be fleeting rain chances emerging next week, according to the National Weather Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n Until then, we can expect elevated humidity levels to make seasonable temperatures in the lower to mid-90s feel more like triple-digit heat \u2014 or feel more like 39 to 43 degrees\u00a0Celsius for our World Cup visitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n Houston on Saturday should enjoy mostly sunny skies, with afternoon temperatures peaking near 94, which would be close, if not only slightly above, normal. However, those heat index values<\/a>, or humidity-driven \u201cfeels like\u201d temps, will be as high as 105 degrees. At least we\u2019ll have robust southerly winds at 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as strong as 20 mph.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n While Houston skies will remain mostly clear in the evening, overnight temperatures will stay mostly in the 80s, with temps bottoming out only around 79 before sunrise Sunday.<\/p>\n EL NI\u00d1O EXPLAINED: What would El Ni\u00f1o mean for Texas hurricanes and its snow chances?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMid-level ridging (of high atmospheric pressure) centered over northern Mexico and West Texas will shift east and become repositioned over the lower Mississippi Valley by this weekend,\u201d the weather service said in a forecast bulletin posted online<\/a> Friday.<\/p>\n High air pressure, particularly when it is near or in our part of country, tends to suppress rainfall chances and raise temperatures at the surface. When the high pressure stalls out and stays over our region for an extended period, we know it as a heat dome.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The heat dome<\/a> can act like a pot lid, trapping warm air and keeping water vapor from rising to form rain clouds. This high pressure system will keep rain chances pinned to 10% or less, \u201cand if anything does form it should be transient\u00a0and isolated,\u201d forecasters said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sunday forecast<\/p>\n Houston air quality will continue to be problematic, partly because of Saharan dust, but less so this weekend, according to the\u00a0Texas Commission on Environmental Quality<\/a>.<\/p>\n Heat index values could reach the triple digits Saturday afternoon across Texas, according to the National Blend of Models, a composite weather forecast model.<\/p>\n National Blend of Models\/Pivotal Weather<\/p>\n \u201cThe Saharan dust plume will continue affecting most regions, but model guidance indicates it will begin to weaken and disperse, although it will likely still elevate fine particulate matter concentrations,\u201d the TCEQ said in its air quality forecast <\/a>for the weekend. \u201cGusty winds in the south Plains and Permian Basin could also result in additional areas of patchy blowing dust.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Houston on Sunday is shaping up to be sunny, with persistent gusty southerly winds of 5 to 15 mph. Peak daytime temperatures should reach 95 degrees with heat values as high as 104 degrees.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n