Weather Alert Day: Rounds of torrential, tropical rains begin Monday and last through Wednesday
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Rounds of torrential, tropical rains begin Monday and last through Wednesday. With the heaviest showers expected Tuesday and Wednesday which could lead to street flooding and even flash flooding at times, the ABC13 Weather Team has declared both days as Weather Alert Days.
Sunday evening is the calm before the storm in southeast Texas. Overnight clouds will roll in from the gulf and could soon hold heavy rainfall.
The first wave of tropical showers will move in from the coast early Monday morning with scattered showers and storms possible for your Monday morning commute. These will move pretty quickly from south to north, paving the way for more rounds of rain throughout the day Monday. Compared to Tuesday and Wednesday though, Monday's showers and storms will be more scattered in nature so not everyone will receive rain. Otherwise, Monday will be cloudy, humid and warm with temperatures starting in the mid 70s and rising into the upper 80s.
What's should I expect Tuesday with the Weather Alert Day?
Rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall will likely become more widespread Tuesday where the heavy rains could lead to street flooding across much of Southeast Texas in the afternoon and evening. Depending on how much rain falls when and where, flash flooding could also be a risk by Tuesday evening as well. Expect impacts to your Tuesday afternoon and evening commutes from reduced visibility due to heavy rainfall and the potential for high water spots.
What's in store for Wednesday's Weather Alert Day?
Wednesday could be the second day in a row with widespread moderate to heavy rains, so street and urban flooding could continue if it hasn't already begun. The Wednesday morning commute could be especially tricky with high water spots and potential road closures due to street flooding.
How much rain are we talking?
Over the course of three days, Houston and Harris County could pick up between 3 to 6 inches of rain on average with some spots potentially seeing upwards of 8 inches when all is said and done. Thankfully, bayou and creek flooding is not expected at this time though bayous and creeks will likely be running high this week. And while most of that will fall in waves, some showers could produce rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches an hour. Best chance for that will be closer to the coast, so coastal areas could see between 6 to 10 inches of rain Monday through Wednesday. Additionally, some coastal communities could have a foot of rain when all is said and done, so street and flooding of low-lying areas is a bigger concern here. Then farther north into the Hill Country and near College Station, 1 to 3 upwards of 4 inches of rain is expected.
Any other impacts I should be aware of?
While flooding from heavy rains is the main concern, strong rip currents, waves heights between 4 to 10 feet and winds gusting between 20 to 30 knots are expected along the coast. Gale Warnings and Small Craft Advisories will likely be issued this week with these conditions.
Anything else happening in the tropics?
Besides the potential tropical development in the southwest Gulf of Mexico over the Bay of Campeche, there is also another area off the coast of Floridan near the Bahamas we're monitoring for development too. We've now got you on "Weather Watch" Tuesday and Wednesday when we expect the majority of our local impacts from this tropical weather system. For more on that, head to our Daily Tropical Weather Update page.
13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
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