Houston Braces for More Flooding as Tropical Air Mass Brought Heavy Rainfall

Strategic Insights -

Heavy downpours are expected to hit Houston, Texas, this week, with rain rates potentially reaching up to 2 to 4 inches per hour in the heaviest storms. The National Weather Service is forecasting torrential downpours, with the city under a "Stage 1 flood alert" by SpaceCityWeather, indicating mainly "minor impacts" and "nuisance street flooding." The flooding is the latest in a series of unwelcome weather events, including Hurricane Beryl, which left behind flooding, downed trees, and hundreds of thousands of customers without power.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Weather Service is predicting torrential downpours, with rain rates potentially reaching up to 2 to 4 inches per hour in the heaviest storms.
  • SpaceCityWeather has placed the city under a "Stage 1 flood alert," indicating mainly "minor impacts" and "nuisance street flooding."
  • The flooding is the latest in a series of unwelcome weather events, including Hurricane Beryl, which left behind flooding, downed trees, and hundreds of thousands of customers without power.
  • The city can expect 4 to 6 inches of rain along the Texas coast, with localized totals exceeding 10 inches.
  • A stalled front and a stagnant area of low pressure at high altitudes are contributing to the heavy downpours.
  • Atmospheric moisture levels in Houston are expected to be exceptional, with humid air streaming off the Gulf of Mexico replenishing the area continually.
  • The warming climate is increasing the atmosphere's moisture-holding capacity, leading to heavier downpours in areas like Houston, which is readily available moisture.
  • Since June 1, more than 15 inches of rain has fallen in Houston, nearly double the norm, with Beryl dumping 6 to 12 inches.

Statistics:

  • Almost 1.4 million customers in Texas lost power on May 28 due to severe storms.
  • At least 10 tornadoes have hit Harris County in the past five years, including an EF3 on Jan. 24, 2023.
  • 45 days last summer in Houston saw temperatures at or above 100 degrees.
  • 15 hurricanes have directly impacted Houston in the past century, as well as countless tropical storms.
  • The remnants of Hurricane Harvey dumped a U.S. record 60.58 inches of rain in Nederland, Tex.
  • The warming climate is increasing the atmosphere's moisture-holding capacity by 4 percent for every degree the air temperature warms.

Sources:

  • The National Weather Service
  • SpaceCityWeather
  • Peer-reviewed articles
  • Jason Samenow, a contributor to this report