From Travis Herzog
THURSDAY 1/16/2025 ARCTIC UPDATE
I'm seeing more signs that we may be in for a genuine Gulf coast snowstorm over Southeast Texas starting MLK Day and ending on Tuesday. Based on all the data we have now( (plus looking back at similar weather patterns from the past), our part of the state looks to be most favored for snowfall, and potentially a heavy one. BUT!
BUT! (There's always a "BUT!" 4 to 5 days out...)
This largely hinges on where a low pressure center forms over the Gulf of Mexico. If it forms generally east of Brownsville, it is likely SNOW ON for Southeast Texas. That's what the European computer models is showing.
But if it forms closer to the Bay of Campeche, then it tugs a lot of the moisture along with it. There could still be snow, but it would be generally south of I-10 and may miss Houston entirely like the Christmas Eve snow of 2004. That's what the morning run of the American model is showing...but the new run populating right now is coming in line with the snowier European model.
So what happens if the coastal low forms closer to Texas? Then we could be in for a lot of freezing rain, and that would be a worst-case scenario.
What are currently predicting? We are still holding our snow chances at 40%...for now. But if we continue to see things converging toward the European solution, then those snow chances will be going way up.
I'll update you again later this evening after analyzing some more data. Stay tuned!