Rain across Houston area isn't enough to get us out of drought, meteorologists say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Southeast Texas is getting some much-needed rain, but experts say it's a double-edged sword.

The ground is so dry right now that just these past few days of showers can cause flooding.

Brazoria County bared the brunt of the rain on Wednesday.

"I was gone awhile, and I came back and said, 'Ugh.' I woke her up and said, 'Ma, we are trapped in again,'" Della DeLeon said.

DeLeon has lived at her home in Freeport with her mom, Catarina Tijerina, for more than five decades.

They say 2nd Avenue has been a flood zone for as long as they can remember.

"It gets old," DeLeon said.

Her mother is more go-with-the-flow, no pun intended.

"We can't do anything about it. That's the weather. That's mother nature, you know," Tijerina said.

Speaking of mother nature, summer 2023 in southeast Texas included nearly 50 straight days without rain.

To put that in perspective, only 1/100 of an inch was reported at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport for the entirety of August.

According to ABC13 Meteorologist Elyse Smith, Tuesday's rain was intermittent and light, making it easier for the ground to absorb.

Wednesday is a different story because it's coming down heavy and all at once.

"Without seeing so much of this beneficial rainfall for so long, we've got to remember the precautions we need to take when it rains here in Houston. You need to be looking for street flooding. You need to be watching if you live in a flood-prone area, your local creeks, streams, and Bayous," Smith said.

DeLeon said these sporadic bouts of heavy rain, while good for their plants, have taken a toll on their home, especially after such a dry summer.

"It does something to the foundation because it is on blocks. We have to have the house leveled," DeLeon said.

"What does that entail when they level your house?" ABC13 reporter Alex Bozarjian asked.

"Well, you're looking at thousands of dollars," DeLeon said.

The rain, although needed, can be a pain for homeowners.

The showers are something DeLeon and her mom have come to accept.

"If it rains through the night, we'll be like this again," DeLeon said.

According to ABC13 meteorologists, some areas of Houston need 4 to 10 inches of rain over a consistent weekly basis to get the city back to where it needs to be and out of this drought.