Houston, Harris County prepare for potential storms

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Flash flooding, the type that quickly floods the street and then goes away, is the biggest threat in the coming days, according to meteorologist Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control.

"We are making sure that all of our gauges are working properly out in the field. We've been checking those. Of course we've been having rain over the last couple of days," Lindner said.

Lindner and other Harris County emergency managers are closely watching the weather map. Tropical trouble lights up the map in four places, including the Gulf of Mexico.

Harris County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Sloan said, “We're watching it around the clock right now, as this storm could develop in the next 24 to 48 hours."

For this round of rain, the Houston Fire Department has its new marine group. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said high-water trucks are spread across the city.

He also said barricades are ready at 40 high-water spots.

"Slower moving storms could cause us more concern of course than the fast-moving ones. We have been participating in telephone conferences for the past five days with the NWS and Texas State Operations Center," Turner said.