October 25, 2015
Heavy rain is expected to spread east along the Gulf Coast and through the lower Mississippi Valley Sunday into Monday, potentially causing flooding problems in areas where rain persists the longest.
An upper-level low pressure system and an area of low pressure sliding east along the Gulf Coast are combining to deliver the drenching downpours. The surface low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico formed partially in response to the mid- and upper-level remnants of Hurricane Patricia. Also involved is the leftover moisture from Patricia.
(HURRICANE PATRICIA: News | Photos | Recap)
This setup resulted in flooding along parts of the Texas Gulf Coast, including the Houston metro area, on Saturday. Many roadways and vehicles were reported to be under water around Houston Saturday night. Other parts of Texas have also seen flooding in recent days, with localized rainfall totals of more than one foot. Corsicana, Texas, has already received more than 20 inches of rain since Thursday, causing serious flash flooding.
(LATEST NEWS: Flooding in Texas)
Rainfall Reports
In addition to flooding, a few rotating thunderstorms may spawn brief tornadoes along the Gulf Coast through Monday.
(MORE: Track the Tornado Threat Right Now)
Gusty winds will also continue along coastal parts of Texas and Louisiana.
Forecast: Flood Threat Spreads East
As mentioned before, the dangerous flooding situation will continue to spread east along the Gulf Coast and into the lower Mississippi Valley through Monday. Here is the latest radar showing the rain now followed by the timing of the flood threat through Monday.
Current Radar
Sunday Night's Threat Areas
Heavy Rain: The heaviest rain and greatest flood risk will spread from far eastern Texas into Louisiana, Mississippi and southern and western Alabama.
Isolated Severe Storm Threat: A few severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts or isolated tornadoes in southern Louisiana, possibly spreading to coastal Mississippi overnight.
Sunday Night Forecast
Monday's Threat Areas
Heavy Rain: The heavy rain will spread a bit farther east, into portions of eastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia and the western Florida Panhandle. The threat of flooding may be enhanced in southern Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle due to a persistent inflow of Gulf moisture.
Isolated Severe Storm Threat: A few severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts or isolated tornadoes from southeast Louisiana to south Mississippi, southwest Alabama and the extreme west Florida Panhandle.
Monday Forecast
The National Weather Service has posted flash flood watches from southeast Texas through much of Louisiana and into southern Mississippi and along the Alabama Gulf coast and the western Florida Panhandle.
Flood Alerts
A widespread swath from Louisiana into Mississippi, southern/western Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle has the potential to see 3 or more inches of rain through Tuesday. Some locations will pick up more than 5 inches. Rainfall rates could exceed 2 inches per hour at times, leading to flash flooding.
Forecast Additional Rainfall
Strong winds will continue along coastal parts of Texas and Louisiana, where gusts may top 30 mph at times. As of early Sunday afternoon, Galveston, Texas, had seen a top wind gust of 52 mph.
Winds are even stronger offshore. One location has seen sustained winds to 52 mph with a gust to 62 mph as of early Sunday afternoon.
Current Winds
Coastal Flooding Continues
Onshore winds from the area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico could contribute to some additional coastal flooding.A coastal flooding warning has been posted by the National Weather Service from extreme southeast Texas into southwestern Louisiana. The warning states that minor to moderate coastal flooding is possible in those locations into Sunday night.
Minor coastal flooding is also possible from southeast Louisiana into the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Coastal flood warnings have been posted there as well.
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