Moving into the Fourth of July weekend, the Katy area will see at least some relief from triple-digit temperatures with 50 percent chance for afternoon showers.
RAIN IN THE FORECAST – The chances for rainfall will increase to 50 percent Tuesday afternoon and evening, giving the Katy area some possibility of relief from the ongoing hot, dry conditions.
Today’s forecast high is 95 degrees under mostly cloudy skies, according to the National Weather Service.
Chances for rain will increase to 50 percent later this afternoon and scattered thunderstorms will be possible into the evening hours.
The five-day forecast calls for highs to remain below the century mark, ranging from 97 on Thursday and Friday to 92 on Friday and 96 on Independence Day.
A 30 percent chance for rain will remain in the forecast for Wednesday afternoon and evening. Chances of rainfall will drop as skies turn partly cloudy on Thursday before isolated thunderstorms return on Thursday and Friday.
The Fourth of July forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies, possible scattered showers and a high of 96.
The Katy area has been in the grip of blistering heat and dry conditions for most of June, triggering burn bans and even a gubernatorial disaster declaration prohibiting the sale and use of certain aerial fireworks until at least July 6.
The conditions have also triggered heat advisories from the National Weather Service, as well as requests from area water authorities for voluntary water conservation. After seeing a 50 percent increase in water use late last week, the City of Katy began asking its residents to begin voluntary conservation measures, including limiting lawn watering.
The city is placing notices in this month’s water bills asking residents to limit their water use, including watering their lawns only before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m.
In the notice, the city said it has been pumping around 4.8 million gallons of water per day since the current period of hot, dry weather began.
Low water pressure hampered firefighters’ efforts to contain a multi-alarm warehouse fire at the K-T Bolt Manufacturing Company on Katy’s east side yesterday afternoon. At one point, firefighters asked public works officials if they could release more water into the system to increase pressure, but heavy demands due to the heat and drought conditions kept pressures below normal and limited the water available to fight the blaze.
The warehouse, which was reportedly leased by Brammer’s Athletic Wear and contained sports apparel and equipment, was completely destroyed in the blaze.
By: John Pape on Tue, Jun 30, 2009
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