At a Glance

Tropical Depression Eleven has formed near the Texas coast.Excessive rain in a short amount of time could trigger flooding in Texas, despite initially dry soil conditions.Flash flood watches are posted for a part of the upper Texas coast, including Houston.A tropical storm warning is in effect from Sargent to Port Bolivar.

Tropical Depression Eleven has formed near the Texas coast and will deliver rounds of heavy rain to eastern parts of the state through late week, triggering potential flash flooding, including in the Houston metro area.

Note: Tropical Depression Eleven is now Tropical Storm Imelda. For the latest, please visit our newest article.

Forecast

In general, 5 to 10 inches of rain is a good bet over southeastern Texas, including the Houston metro area, through late this week. Some areas could pick up 15 inches of rain where rainbands stall.

Rainfall amounts this high could lead to flash flooding, despite initially dry ground, particularly in urban areas. This is especially the case where bands of rain stall and move over the same areas for several hours at a time with rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour.

Locally heavy rain is likely to expand northward into much of eastern Texas, mainly east of the Interstate 35 corridor, as the weather system moves northward later this week.

It's important to note that rainfall amounts could vary greatly over short distances, so it's difficult to predict exactly where the worst flooding could occur.

"The difference of just a few miles could be the difference of several inches of rain," the National Weather Service in Houston .

If you are traveling and encounter a flooded road or underpass, do not attempt to drive through the floodwaters.

The single worst decision you can make in a flash flood is driving your vehicle into floodwaters of unknown depth.

It's easy to misjudge the depth of floodwater, particularly at night. Sometimes the bridge or road masked by floodwater may have been undermined or completely washed out.

Of the 80 flood-related deaths in the U.S. so far in 2019, , according to statistics compiled by that National Weather Service in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Drought Help Where Rain Isn't Excessive

Rain will be beneficial where it isn't excessive since drought conditions have developed in Texas this summer.

As of Sept. 10, just over half the state is experiencing drought and more than 70% is at least abnormally dry. It hasn't rained in Dallas-Fort Worth since Aug. 30.

The increase in clouds and rainfall will also bring a break from the heat that has dominated the South and will keep temperatures closer to average for this time of year.