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Houston goes into vintage summer mode, but there is hope for next week

Stephen Uzick
Jul 18, 2019, 7:21 am
Weathermodels.com

With Barry now out of the picture we return to our regularly scheduled summer misery. I wish I had better news to report but over the next few days our weather looks to be right on track with what you would expect from mid to late July in Houston.

Today and tomorrow we will be firmly under the grasp of an area of high pressure. High pressure on its own means hot temperatures in the summer, but for the next couple of days our area will be on the western side of the high pressure center which will bring our winds in from off the Gulf. This means even more humidity. Despite the air being very moist the area of high pressure (ie sinking air) will put a clamp down on our usual afternoon thunderstorm chances, so don't expect much relief in the form of rain. These higher humidity levels will push our heat index up into the 103-108 range over the next few days so take it easy outside. Yes, it is uncomfortable, but no, it is not out of the ordinary for July.

Forecast heat index for the area. Yes it will be uncomfortableWeathermodels.com

Now on to the good news. This weekend that high slides away from us opening up the possibility for a couple of cooling rain showers. It will still be hot and humid, but maybe not quite AS hot and humid as today and Friday.

In even better news, the forecast appears to be advertising the possibility of a weak front sliding though around the middle of next week. I'm not going to call it a cold front because the effect on our temperatures will be minimal. However, it does signify a shift in wind direction to the north which could at least provide a respite from oppressive humidity. This certainly isn't a guaranteed outcome, but it is something to keep a watch for.

Finally in case you were wondering we are approaching the top of the plateau for what is on average the hottest time of the year. Not surprisingly the end of July through mid-late August represent what is normally the hottest time of the year for us. I know this isn't news to anyone but just keep in mind that we are almost to the peak and in about a month averages will be beginning the trek back down hill. Again, I know this isn't breaking news but sometimes seeing it on a chart makes it seem not as bad.


National Weather Service Houston/Galveston


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Houston gets another victory in Anaheim

Astros overpower Angels again as magic number dwindles

Kyle Tucker had 3 of Houston's RBI on Tuesday night, including a two-run homer. Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images

After a beatdown of the Angels on Monday in the opener, the Astros entered Tuesday's game looking to replicate that success. Though Los Angeles would put up more of a fight, Houston still used their potent offense to keep the game out of reach.

Final Score: Astros 10, Angels 5

Astros' Record: 90-61, first in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Jose Urquidy (8-3)

Losing Pitcher: Packy Naughton (0-3)

Houston's bats keep connecting to back up Urquidy

The Astros picked up on Tuesday's game where they left off on Monday, launching homers to take and extend a lead. A leadoff walk by Carlos Correa in the top of the second set up Kyle Tucker, who drove a two-run shot. Aledmys Diaz was next, making it back-to-back jacks to push the new lead to 3-0.

That gave Jose Urquidy a lead to work with, which came in handy as former Astro Jack Mayfield cut the lead to two runs with a leadoff solo homer in the bottom of the second. Other than that, Urquidy did well through five innings, allowing just two other hits over that span. LA got to him in the sixth, getting two singles to set up a three-run homer to end his night. His final line: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 79 P.

The runs keep coming

He would still leave in line for the win, though, as before that bottom of the sixth, the Astros had put up seven more runs across the fifth and sixth. A leadoff walk in the top of the fifth was followed by a two-run homer by Jose Altuve, then later in the frame, an RBI single by Aledmys Diaz made it 7-1. They pushed that to double digits in the sixth, with a leadoff solo shot by Martin Maldonado, a sac fly by Carlos Correa, and an RBI groundout by Kyle Tucker, putting them up 10-1 before the homer allowed by Urquidy cut that to 10-4.

Astros win to reduce magic number again

In the sixth, Cristian Javier took over for Urquidy, finished that inning, and returned for a scoreless seventh. He ran into Shohei Ohtani to lead off the bottom of the eighth and left a fastball in the zone, which Ohtani turned around 445 feet to make it a five-run game. Javier still got through the inning, leaving just the ninth for Houston's second reliever of the night, Josh James. James would get through a scoreless inning, erasing a leadoff walk as the lopsided win paired with an A's loss reduces Houston's magic number to 4.

Up Next: The third of this four-game series will be another 8:38 PM Central start on Wednesday. Janson Junk (0-1, 2.25 ERA) will make his third career start for the Angels, while Luis Garcia (11-7, 3.37 ERA) will have the ball for the Astros.

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