Southeast Texas Could See a Foot of Rain Over the Next 7 Days
HOUSTON, Texas (KPEL News) - According to forecasts out Monday, a storm system in the southern Gulf of Mexico could drop almost a foot of rain on southeast Texas over the week.
That could leave Texas with trillions of gallons of water being dumped on them, and the hurricane season is only just beginning.
Ryan Maue, a meteorologist who frequently shares updates on major storm systems via his social media, posted the maps and forecasts over the weekend, all of which show a lot of rain headed for Houston and other parts of southeast Texas.
The weather system in question is a tropical system that is likely to develop further this week, according to the National Hurricane Center.
"Satellite imagery and surface observations indicate that a broad area of low pressure is forming over the Bay of Campeche," the NHC said in a recent update. "Environmental conditions appear conducive for additional gradual development, and a tropical depression or tropical storm is likely to form by midweek while it moves slowly westward or west-northwestward toward the western Gulf coast."
"Regardless of development, several days of heavy rainfall are expected across portions of southern Mexico and Central America, and these rains are likely to cause life-threatening flooding and flash flooding," the forecast also noted. "Locally heavy rainfall is also expected to spread over portions of the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of the week. In addition, gale warnings have been issued for portions of the Gulf of Mexico, and more information on those warnings is available in High Seas Forecasts issued by the National Weather Service."
Flooding in Texas?
The storms rolling into the Houston area in particular start today and risk flooding the city as the week goes on.
As the storms pick up steam throughout Monday, they'll bring heavier rain. Localized flash flooding will be a concern during the afternoon and evening hours on Monday, especially along the I-10 corridor.
Heavy rains are expected to continue Tuesday and Wednesday, according to forecasts.
The Houston Chronicle reports that "Rainfall totals of between 6 and 8 inches are expected across much of Harris County, with 4 to 6 inch totals possible further north of I-10" and that "For Huntsville, a location hit hard by relentless spring rains, even the 2 to 4 inches of rain currently forecast could cause issues with localized flooding through Thursday."
It could end up being a bad week, and it's only the beginning of hurricane season.