Flash Flood Warning Extended Again! Up to 10 Inches Already Today with More on Way

Update: Flash Flood Watch Extended until 8:00 PM or until cancelled.

For the second time in five days, the National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings. This means more street flooding. Move your vehicles to high ground.

Flash Flood Warning till 8:00 or Until Canceled

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for portions of northeast Houston. It includes Lake Houston, Kingwood and northeastern Bush Intercontinental Airport, until 8:00 p.m.  

Area of Flash Flood Warning

Early this afternoon, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated nearly stationary thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. By 1 PM, three to almost five inches of rain had fallen and worse was yet to come. By 5PM, storm totals were approaching 10 inches with one station near FM1485 reporting 11 inches. The good news: as of 6PM, although it is still raining, the storm appears to be moving east and lessening.

Stunning Accumulations for Day That Was Supposed to be Light

Just hours ago, I posted a City of Houston alert warning of 7-10 inches of rain possible this WEEK. We have already gotten more than that today and it’s not over! And this was supposed to be the lightest day this week! Here’s what it looked like on the streets this afternoon.

Video courtesy of Josh Alberson showing the land being cleared next to HEB for retail expansion along Kingwood Drive. Someone needs to rethink that idea!
New retail center called “The Docks” already under water. Photo courtesy of Josh Alberson.
Taylor Gully also coming out of its banks at the end of Dunham Road. Video courtesy of Josh Alberson.
This video shows the south end of Woodland Hills Drive near the soccer field road and Romerica property.
It shows tree and water blocking the road/evacuation route. Courtesy of Mohamad-Khaled Chaouki Jrab.
Kings Forest Pool House on Woods Estates Drive. Neighbor across the street reported more than 6″ on his rain gage.

House on Royal Circle in Kings Forest not far from pool house above. Photo courtesy of Cyndy Brown.

Elsewhere:

  • Kingwood College closed. Water was intruding through drains and windows. No power.
  • The creek by Deerwood Country Club is almost over Kingwood Drive.
  • 8″ to 9″ standing water reported in Memorial Hermann lot in HEB Center. See below.

Street by Strawbridge Methodist Church. Video courtesy of Josh Alberson.

Storm Total Accumulations

Here’s what the storm total accumulations looked like as of 5:15.

Bright purple area in center equals 8.5 inch accumulations; darker blue areas within it show 10 inch accumulations during the course of the afternoon.

River Report and Protective Actions

The San Jacinto river is forecasted to rise above flood stage by this evening and continue to rise to near 49.6 feet by tonight. The river will fall below flood stage by after midnight
WEDNESDAY.

At 49.3 feet, minor lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage; the north side turnaround at US 59 begins to flood; and low points on Thelma Road, Aqua Vista Drive, and Riverview Drive begin to flood.

River Flooding Watch Area

People in the area should avoid the river as it rises. Residents near the river should make preparations in the event they are not able to leave their homes due to high water.   

Turn Around, Don’t Drown®:  Do not drive through flooded areas. If you see water covering the road, do not attempt to cross it.  Only takes a few inches of water to float a vehicle . If you find yourself in a dangerous situation where your vehicle is taking on water, get out of the vehicle, get to a higher position, and call 911. 

Monitor Official Sources for Current Information:  Harris County Flood Warning System (harriscountyfws.org), Houston TranStar (houstontranstar.org), the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston Forecast Office (weather.gov/hgx), and the National Weather Service West Gulf River Forecast Center (weather.gov/wgcrfc).

Posted by Bob Rehak on May 7, 2019 at 2PM and update at 4PM and 6pm

616 Days since Hurricane Harvey