FXUS64 KHGX 182246
AFDHGX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
546 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Dry and warmer conditions will persist through the week and 
  into the weekend.

- A significant warming trend Friday into the weekend with some
  locations potentially seeing their first 90-degree days of the 
  year.
  
&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 153 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

Dry and hot conditions, with the potential for near-record or record 
breaking temperatures at some locations are the main weather story 
over the next several days. Surface high pressure centered to our 
east continues to dominate the weather across the region today with 
dry and warm southerly winds. Aloft, the region continues to be 
influenced by a strong high pressure ridge (594 dam) centered over 
the southwestern CONUS, bringing unseasonably high temperatures for 
mid/late March. Heat will intensify over the next 72 hours as this 
ridge slightly amplifies and expands eastward into the region from 
Friday into the weekend. Ensemble guidance continues to show 850 
temperatures close to the 90th - 99.5th percentile of climatology 
(according to NAEFS and GEFS), especially west of I-45. Based on the 
NBM probabilistic data for temperatures, the Brazos Valley area 
(CLL) will have the highest probability (around 70 to 85 percent)of 
temperatures greater than 90F on Saturday. 

By early next week, the ridging aloft breaks down a bit as a weak 
and generally dry surface cold front attempts to move southward 
through the region. No significant impacts are expected, other than 
temperatures becoming a couple of degrees "less warm" with highs 
mainly in the mid 80s. 

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAF Issuance)
Issued at 545 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

We may see some shallow, patchy fog try to develop west of the 
I-45 corridor in the 9-13z timeframe. Otherwise, continued VFR for
the remainder of the period. 47

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 153 PM CDT Wed Mar 18 2026

With the high pressure centered over north-central Gulf, the region 
continues to be influenced by light to occasionally moderate 
southeasterly flow and seas of around 1 to 3 ft. This pattern will 
persist through the weekend. Little to no rain is expected. 

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
College Station (CLL)	  50  83  54  87 /   0   0   0   0 
Houston (IAH)			  54  82  59  86 /   0   0   0   0 
Galveston (GLS)			  62  72  64  75 /   0   0   0   0 

&&

.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
GM...None.
&&

$$

DISCUSSION...JM
AVIATION...47
MARINE...JM