Soaked September: Constant rainfall flooding streets again in Galveston
GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- It's not "Noah's Ark" weather, but some people in Galveston got out inflatable boats and kayaks in case the street flooding worsened this morning.
Galveston has recorded its wettest September that most can remember. Rain, a lot of it heavy, inundated the island for 13 out of the first 14 days this month.
"We don't have detention ponds and lakes here," said City Manager Brian Maxwell. The streets act as waterways in heavy rain events. That meant traffic crawled through high water today.
The storm drains carry water into the bay, but recent tropical weather activity has affected that.
"Not only do we have higher than normal high tides, but the tides haven't released, so we're not getting a complete clearing of the drainage system like we normally would," Maxwell said.
Low tide is said to be a foot higher than normal. In other words, the water that would drain into the bay is being blocked. On Friday, water could be seen bubbling up through manholes, and it was coming from the bay.
Weather conditions improved by early afternoon, and tourists returned to the beach and to the Strand, where sandbags had been brought out earlier as a precaution.
"I tell people to go get something to eat, and when they're finished, the weather will have changed," Maxwell laughed.
The city's Emergency Operations Center was activated at 8 a.m. Friday, and deactivated after lunch. It's expected to remain that way, unless more heavy rain returns.
RELATED: Galveston County preparing for more flooding coming to the area
