HOUSTON – Flood Watch:The majority of our viewing area is now under a Flood Watch until Monday night. This as AAA projects 3.7 million Texans will drive 50 miles from home this holiday weekend. And at last check, more than 8,000 customers are still without power from this morning’s storms, which means you’ll want to treat traffic lights out as a 4-way stop.
We were BUSY this morning with even more thunderstorms and power outages. We tracked a handful of special weather alerts, Thunderstorm Warnings, and power outages. According to the NWS, we’ve already picked up 1-3 inches across the area in the last 72 hours, with 6-8 inches along the coast.
Here is a look at the latest 24-hour rainfall totals which is expected to go up with more rain on the way.
And we have more rain on the way as we get into the afternoon and evening. Timing can shift, but it looks like the second round of rain starts in the afternoon and turning into a little more widespread rain as we get into the evening.
TIMING: It can change but this give you an idea of what to expect but overall, you’ll want to keep checking radar.
Since we’re under a Flood Watch, I was going back through some of my past stories to pull some wisdom for this weekend’s rain event. Yesterday’s post was from the Kingwood flooding in May of 2024.
WATCH: Here is the interview and something I always think about after talking to Rene Sigman, a storm damage attorney about the dangers lurking in flood waters.
As you can imagine, there are some pretty scary and strange things lurking in flood waters — including what experts call Category 3 Black Water.
What does that mean? Here’s her answer:
“Black Water” is grossly contaminated water. It typically involves sewage that enters indoor areas through flooding or a sewage backup. Storm flood water is considered Category 3 because it carries contaminants from sewers, ditches, and outdoor environments into homes and buildings. There are strict protocols required when cleaning up or remediating damage from Category 3 water.
Avoid contact with flood waters if at all possible. If you can’t, make sure to wear rubber boots and long clothing for protection.
The CDC recommends washing any exposed skin with soap and clean water as soon as possible. If that’s not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or wipes.
And always cover any open cuts, wounds, or sores with waterproof bandages before any potential exposure.
YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT FLOODING INSURACE HERE:
This as we continue to track more rain in our forecast and that means more problems when it comes to flooding.
WATCH: But what does it mean when the soil is saturated and how does that play a role in flooding?!
Keep radar close to you this weekend — the timing with these storms has been tricky but a quick look at radar will always help you!