Convenience Big Store: Texas hurricane forecasts are getting a major upgrade

May 9, 2026

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⛅ Temperature check: High of 83; low of 72. Forecast: The recent rains have put a dent in the drought. Another round of showers and thunderstorms is possible today.

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In this weather satellite photo of Texas taken Monday morning at 1:30 a.m., Hurricane Beryl can be seen approaching the Texas Gulf Coast. The center of the storm was within 30 miles of Matagorda Bay.

Photo by: NOAA, National Weather Service

Texas hurricane forecasts get a major upgrade with AI-powered predictions.

When it comes to the science of tracking the tropics, progress can take decades. Now, though, it appears that field of research has been supercharged, thanks to artificial intelligence.

How so? After being integrated into the National Hurricane Center’s operational workflow last year, AI-driven forecast models quickly proved themselves among the most accurate methods for figuring out where a storm will go and how strong it will get. That year, one AI model ranked among the top-performing models for predicting storm tracks in the Atlantic.

Of course, this does come with some caveats, as meteorologist Justin Ballard explains in his reporting. In fact, as the number of forecasting models grows, human interpretation is more important than ever.

But still, keep an eye on how AI will play a part in following the upcoming hurricane season.

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Exclusive: $30M penthouse goes under contract in Uptown's Ritz-Carlton tower.

If sold at or near its asking price, the off-market deal could represent a record-setting price for Houston’s luxury real estate market, across publicly known transactions.

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HISD under federal investigation over plans for special education services.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Houston ISD after the state's largest district began to centralize its special education department.

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Six-figure salaries surged in Harris County commissioner offices.

Harris County commissioners have dramatically expanded staffing in their offices and their highest-paid employees are making more than they were 10 years ago.

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Texas gas prices spike after U.S.-Iran war. How are Houston drivers adjusting?

Houstonians are feeling the sting of rising gas prices amid uncertainty over the U.S.-Iran conflict.

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Gloves come off in debate between veteran and rookie Houston congressmen.

Al Green blasted Christian Menefee for missing votes in Congress in February – Menefee’s first month on the job. And Green criticized him for not passing any legislation during his three months in Congress.

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Meet Houston's Favorite Teacher: Spring ISD's Casey Sade Archield makes math fun.

She was voted as Houston's Favorite Teacher among 60 nominated educators and 11 finalists.

Experience helps. Better data helps more.

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⚾ Sports

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 08: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds on May 08, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Photo by: Andy Lyons, Getty Images

Astros: Mike Burrows had his best start of season, and Houston hit four homers to rout Cincinnati.
Texans: The top draft picks were in action to start rookie minicamp. What we learned about Kayden McDonald, Keylan Rutledge and Marlin Klein.
Longhorns: A former player and assistant coach, Blake Gideon is back after a year at Georgia Tech and ready to chase a title with Will Muschamp. Also, Katie Stewart was named the SEC Player of the Year and one of seven Longhorn softball players to be chosen All-SEC.
Golf: Ben Crane took a first-round lead at the Insperity Invitational on a course that was refurbished from last year.
World Cup: Preparations to install a grass field at NRG Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are progressing well after work on the pitch started last week, Houston's World Cup host committee said.
Athlete of the week: Myles Ratcliff from Fort Bend Marshall High School and Gabby Gray from Bridgeland High School were honored as the Houston Chronicle’s Athletes of the Week after standout performances that helped their teams succeed. Learn more about Gray's and Ratcliff’s big days and see how they compare to the other top athletes who were nominated. Don’t forget to nominate next week’s athletes here.

🗣️ Opinion

The Ten Commandments isn’t enough. Give kids this biblical assignment, writes the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board in its latest Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down offering.
This is one of the most diverse cities in America and still, our neighbors are being told to "go back to their country," write Joseph Yao and Nishi Kothari.
Better than most families, mine understands the horrific power of the July 4 flood, writes Kimberly Crouch, a former Camp Mystic camper who lost two relatives that day.
"The pain and suffering this flood has brought about for the families of all those who have suffered will not be healed through acrimony and blame," writes Robert Boelsche in a letter to the editor regarding the Central Texas flooding.

If you're like me and have a mild interest in the barbecue scene, you might have wondered what happened to Luther's Barbecue. Remember when it offered all-you-can-eat ribs?

The chain, as we knew it, was acquired by Pappas Bar-B-Q in 2005.

In his latest writeup, J.C. Reid is asking what happened to all those all-you-can-eat barbecue joints. Where can you find such offerings these days?

What a coincidence because I've had a hankering for barbecue these last few weeks, though not that much barbecue.