Will Weather Affect The Houston Marathon?

The marathon’s two-week shift shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

When it was announced that the Chevron Houston Marathon would be held two weeks later in 2011, some marathon enthusiasts panicked. The cause for concern was how this decision would affect the weather. Would conducting the marathon later in winter make it warmer and therefore more challenging for runners?

According to Jim Palmer, a senior meteorologist with Impact-Weather Inc., there is no need to panic. “The change in average temperatures between mid-January and late January is negligible,” he said.

Palmer noted that average temperatures increase by only one degree in the span of two weeks, and that the record high is actually one degree cooler. However, the record low could be a factor.

“The record low for mid-January ranges from 15 to 27, but the record low for the end of the month is 10 degrees,” Palmer said. “If anything, it’s possible it would be even colder at the end of the month.”

For More: Houston Chronicle