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<\/a>Tropical Storm Bertha is very disorganized. (WeatherFront)<\/p>\nThe maximum winds have dropped back from 60 to 50 mph. The center is very close to the Louisiana coast, and all of Bertha\u2019s thunderstorms remain offshore. Over the next couple days, Bertha should hug the coast and weaken further. Tropical Storm Watches are now posted on the immediate coast, which is what you would expect in this situation. Models are a bit split on Bertha\u2019s future track, which ranges from the coastal hug to perhaps 100-200 miles offshore.<\/p>\n
The models are in very good agreement, however on Bertha continuing to weaken, regardless of whether the track is nearshore or offshore. <\/p>\n So wind is not a concern for us. The next question becomes rain. Most of the \u201ccore\u201d rain from Bertha is displaced south of the storm\u2019s center, so if you assume the track roughly follows I-10 or just south, most of that rain should continue to press toward the middle or lower Texas coast, or from about Freeport through Corpus Christi. That would actually be a good thing for the most part, as those areas have seen relatively less rain than other parts of the state. <\/p>\n For Houston, it will mean scattered thunderstorms at times, which we will discuss below.<\/p>\n Just as a note, I\u2019ve seen comments on social media about, \u201cWell, Allison. And Harvey was downplayed!\u201d This is neither of those storms. Bertha will have neither the environment, the time, or the space to organize as Harvey did. And unlike an Allison or an Imelda, Bertha\u2019s core is going to end up on the Pacific side of Mexico by later this weekend. In other words, it keeps moving. And for those concerned about Hill Country, there is currently no rain forecast over the next 5 days there. We get the anxiety, but we also want you to understand that this is not expected to cause significant problems.<\/p>\n The heat!<\/p>\n Houston fell a tick short of our first 100 degree day yesterday, topping out at 99 degrees. A few isolated spots in the area did trip the 100 wire. Today should be the day, however. Temperatures are 3 degrees warmer this morning than they were yesterday. Northeasterly flow on the west side of Bertha will help give temperatures a jolt as well. <\/p>\n Today is one of those days where it\u2019s highly recommended to take it easy during the peak heat parts of the day. Temperatures should ease back a little bit tomorrow. Today has \u201chottest day of summer\u201d vibes, though August is still to come so I won\u2019t make a bold prediction. As always, our partners at Reliant have some good energy usage tips today.<\/p>\n A Message from Reliant<\/p>\n With Houston hitting 100 degrees, Reliant is sharing simple, cost-conscious tips to help Texans manage their\u00a0energy\u00a0use efficiently without sacrificing comfort. Here are the top three actionable tips to cut costs, stay cool and conserve energy:<\/p>\n Follow the \u201cfour-by-four\u201d principle. Set your thermostat four degrees higher when you\u2019re away from home for more than four hours to reduce electricity usage and costs.<\/p>\n Avoid using heat-producing appliances like the clothes dryer, dishwasher or oven during the hottest times of day. The most ideal time to run those is in the early morning.<\/p>\n Close blinds and shades on sunny days to prevent heat buildup and get the most out of the cool air coming from the AC.<\/p>\n<\/a>(NOAA\/NHC)<\/p>\n<\/a>Heat blasts off today, with highs likely between 100 and 105 degrees. (WeatherFront)<\/p>\n