After an overnight downpour that caused widespread flooding and left hundreds of Texans stranded, Houston residents are bracing for another line of thunderstorms expected to bring excessive rainfall.
Heavy rain is forecasted for Houston over the next several days, with the Weather Prediction Center estimating rain totals of about a foot already falling in some areas, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The storms are expected to cause problems for areas already hit hard by Tuesday evening’s rains. Powerful thunderstorms deluged the Houston area, flooding neighborhoods and stranding motorists.
WATCH:
There is ongoing flooding from Texas to Wisconsin…and more rain over the next 3 days will make flooding worse in some locations.
DO NOT drive into flood waters or around barricades. People who do so are risking their own lives and the lives of first responders. pic.twitter.com/RMjRR9FezQ
— National Weather Service (@NWS) May 8, 2019
WATCH:
Severe thunderstorms continue to move across eastern Texas this afternoon. Do you have a way to get weather warnings today?
????- Favorite TV Station
???? – NOAA Weather Radio
???? – Weather Apps or Online Sources pic.twitter.com/mRQQiMeAce— National Weather Service (@NWS) May 8, 2019
The storms were stronger than forecasted, said Francisco Sanchez, spokesman for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. Sanchez warned the weather would continue.
“This is just a preview of what we might see next weekend. The forecast was wrong and we hope we don’t have a repeat of this,” Sanchez told the Chronicle.
While the weather could grow increasingly severe, Sanchez said the storm would likely not intensify to the level of Hurricane Harvey.
Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 storm, hit Houston in August 2017, and caused $125 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center. (RELATED: Hurricane Harvey Broke So Many Rainfall Records Even The State Climatologist Called It ‘Ridiculous’)
This is where the 60 students slept! In their Southside Elementary School gym. Kids are at breakfast now. Teachers—incredibly dedicated, most haven’t slept—folding blankets and cleaning up. #abc13 @ClevelandISDTX https://t.co/LNrJ9bz5sS pic.twitter.com/G5weysfrd8
— Courtney Fischer (@CourtneyABC13) May 8, 2019
The Houston Fire Department responded Tuesday to 40 calls for high-water rescue. Flooding homes in the Elm Grove subdivision was evacuated, as were young children from a flooding preschool. Sixty students from Southside Elementary School spent the night in the school’s gym, ABC13 reported, because parents couldn’t pick them up.
Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he placed emergency resources, including the Texas Task Force 2, on standby in areas of the state affected by the storms, according to KWTX.
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