Heavy rain could bring dangerous flooding to Houston region
Heavy rain threatened the greater Houston region as forecasters warned repeated storms could overwhelm bayous, underpasses and low streets. Residents were told to turn on flood alerts and avoid standing water.
Heavy rain threatened the greater Houston region, with repeated rounds of storms capable of overwhelming bayous, underpasses and low-lying streets fast enough to trap drivers and pedestrians. Gov. Greg Abbott said South Central Texas should expect “life threatening catastrophic floods” through Thursday, mainly around the Nueces River Basin.
For Harris County, the concern was not a single fast downpour but a moisture-rich pattern that could keep storms moving over the same areas and push rainfall totals toward, or beyond, records in parts of Texas. The National Weather Service Houston/Galveston office tracked the local threat, while the Harris County Flood Control District directed residents to its Flood Warning System and Storm Center for live rainfall and water-level information.
Created by the Texas Legislature in 1937 and governed by Harris County Commissioners Court, the Flood Control District monitors rainfall and water levels in bayous, creeks and rivers across Harris County and surrounding counties, giving residents a way to watch conditions before roads start going under water. Residents can create an account for rainfall and stream-level alerts, and they can text Ready to 281-609-9093 for accessible alert notifications.
The warning came after a deadly stretch of weather in the region. A 15-year-old boy drowned in a flooded retention pond in Montgomery County. Earlier in the spring, all of Harris County had been in moderate drought at the beginning of April, before the share of the county in moderate drought fell from 100% to 57% by April 20.
The most vulnerable spots in Harris County were the places that fail first in a hard rain: neighborhoods with poor drainage, older subdivisions with limited stormwater capacity, low intersections and underpasses. Residents in flood-prone areas were urged to move vehicles and valuables out of low spots, keep drains and gutters clear, avoid driving through standing water, and plan for delayed commutes and changes to school and work travel before afternoon and evening storms turned roads hazardous.
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