Drenching storms to raise flood risk over southern US through Thursday

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

July 28,2016; 6:00PM,EDT

 

 

Repeating downpours will raise the risk for flash flooding along the Gulf coast and lower Mississippi Valley through the middle days of the week.
A slow-moving system will tap into moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and drench the region with soaking rain.

Downpours will focus from northeast Louisiana to portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the mid-Atlantic into Thursday night.
The storms will be drenching and slow moving, which could trigger flash flooding in some communities, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
As of Wednesday morning, incidents of flash flooding have occurred in Clay County, Tennessee; Monroe County, Kentucky; and Webster County, Missouri; to name a few.
Based on radar, rainfall of 6-12 inches has occurred along the southwest coast of Louisiana from late Tuesday evening to Wednesday midday.
Flooding forced the closure of several roads northeast of San Antonio on Monday night, the Texas Department of Transportation reported.
Low water crossings could become too dangerous to venture through. Small streams can quickly overflow their banks and spill onto neighboring roads and lands.
Never drive through a flooded roadway, as it can put the driver, passengers and would-be rescuers in a life-threatening situation.
Even where no flash flooding occurs, commuters should prepare for slower travel, Pydynowski stated.
"The downpours will create hazards for motorists by reducing visibility and heightening the risk of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds," Pydynowski said.
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Highways where motorists should remain alert for rapidly changing conditions include interstates 10, 20, 35, 40 and 55.
Rainfall rates could exceed 1 inch per hour in some locations.
On Monday night, over 2.50 inches of rain fell in under two hours at New Braunfels, Texas, a northeast suburb of San Antonio, according to a National Weather Service trained spotter.
For the Houston area, the pattern has already delivered the most significant rainfall since the middle of June. More than 5 inches of rain has fallen in two days around Houston.
A few of the drenching storms could be locally strong, with gusty winds being the primary threat, with the best chance across the mid-Atlantic.
Airline passengers may face delays for a time until any stronger storms have safely passed.
While the rain can put a damper on vacations and outdoor plans, it will help ease the recent dryness across the region.
The heavy rainfall will then take aim at parts of the northeastern U.S. to end the week and into the weekend.