Flood Risk to Target Texas, Oklahoma Memorial Day Weekend

By Brian Thompson, Meteorologist

May 21,2015; 6:58PM,EDT

 

 

Another round of downpours and thunderstorms will bring a renewed threat for flooding from Kansas to Texas over the Memorial Day Weekend.
Cities that are at risk for flooding this holiday weekend include Oklahoma City, Dallas to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Texas.
Much of this area has received 2 to 4 times their average rainfall so far this month. Additional rainfall will lead to more flooding over the already saturated ground.

After yet another round of showers and thunderstorms, some drenching and severe, on Friday, the widespread flooding downpours will gradually spread from west to east across the above area this holiday weekend.
The flooding will pose risks to holiday travelers on Interstates 10, 20, 35 and 44.
"Watch for flooded roadways," warned AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams. "Don't be in the next video of someone getting rescued from their car in raging flood waters."
It only takes one foot of water to lift a car off of the ground. Especially at night, it can be very difficult to judge how deep the water is over a roadway.
People with outdoor plans this holiday weekend should be vigilant of changing weather conditions, especially those with activities planned near already swollen rivers and streams.
"Know the terrain around you when heading out to recreational areas, so you can avoid the danger of low-lying areas when flooding strikes," Abrams said.
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While the flooding downpours will be the more widespread concern, some of the thunderstorms will turn severe.
This most recent round of rain over the first half of the week has dropped several inches of rain in some places. Wichita Falls, Texas, received 3.40 inches of rain late Tuesday and Tuesday night. The city has received nearly 5.5 times its normal rainfall so far this month.
Oklahoma City has received 13.90 inches of rain so far during the month of May (as of May 20). The city averages just 2.89 inches over that time. With this next round of rain, it appears almost inevitable that the city will have its wettest month on record. The current record is 14.66 inches of rain, which fell in June 1989.
Just two years ago, in May 2013, Oklahoma City had its second wettest month on record with 14.52 inches of rain.
This latest flood threat will be caused by the combination of a storm moving out of the Southwest and plentiful Gulf of Mexico moisture streaming up from the south.
Signs are that the wet weather pattern overall will persist through the rest of the month across the southern Plains.