Triple-digit heat grips Houston as storm chances build

Southeast Texas is getting ready for a week of unpredictable weather. The Houston area is experiencing triple-digit "feels-like" temperatures, and the chance of rain will slowly rise through midweek.

In most of the area, including Conroe, College Station, and Sugar Land, the heat index rose to 100 to 101 degrees Sunday afternoon. Readings were a little lower near the coast in Galveston. High humidity and warm temperatures are making it feel a lot hotter than it is.

Forecasters say that the heat will still be the biggest problem on Sunday, but there may be a few showers here and there, especially north of the metro area, near Livingston and Huntsville. Any storms that occur are likely to be short-lived and widespread.

On Monday afternoon, the chances of rain will start to rise, and they will improve all through Tuesday through Thursday. Forecast models show that precipitation will be highest in the middle of the week, with daily chances of rain reaching about 60% before slightly decreasing over the weekend.

Meteorologists say that over the next five days, storms will move through the area several times, causing some places, especially north of Houston, to get up to five inches of rain.

As the change happens, a more active weather pattern sets in, which means it could rain harder and cause flooding in some areas. Even though bad weather isn't a given, officials tell people to keep an eye on reports as things change.

Even though storms are coming, people all over the area are still planning to do things outside, like going to local festivals and gatherings. Forecasters stress that staying safe in the heat should always be a top concern, especially in the afternoon when it's the hottest.

People are told to drink plenty of water, stay indoors for long periods, and check the weather often because conditions change throughout the week.

With rain likely to last until Memorial Day, the next week will be a change from the hot weather of early summer to a pattern more likely to bring storms to Southeast Texas.