Tuesday Rains Provide Relief to Houston's Drought

Showers and thunderstorms help alleviate severe drought conditions in the region.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:31am

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Recent rainfall, particularly on Tuesday evening, has helped alleviate a persistent drought that has affected the Houston area since late last year. While parts of the region remain in severe or moderate drought, the additional precipitation has provided some relief. The area is now expected to see cooler temperatures and sunny skies over the next several days, leading into an exceptional weather weekend.

Why it matters

The drought has been an ongoing concern for the Houston region, with some areas reaching "extreme" levels of soil dryness. The recent rains, while not a complete solution, have helped improve conditions and provide a much-needed boost ahead of the upcoming weekend's pleasant weather.

The details

On Tuesday, most of the Houston region received between 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rainfall, with the higher totals hitting the driest areas. This precipitation came from a line of showers and thunderstorms that moved through the region. While it will not rain for a while now, the Tuesday evening showers were a welcome development after the persistent drought.

  • On Tuesday evening, a line of showers and thunderstorms moved through the Houston region.
  • As of last week, large parts of the Houston area were still in a 'severe' drought, with the rest in a 'moderate' drought.

The players

Houston Region

The metropolitan area surrounding the city of Houston, Texas.

US Drought Monitor

A partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that produces weekly maps of drought conditions across the United States.

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What’s next

The region is now expected to see cooler temperatures and sunny skies over the next several days, leading into an exceptional weather weekend with highs in the low- to mid-70s and plenty of sunshine.

The takeaway

The recent rainfall, while not a complete solution, has helped alleviate the persistent drought conditions in the Houston region. This provides some relief ahead of the upcoming pleasant weather, but the area will need to continue monitoring drought levels in the coming weeks and months.