KBTX - Blogs - Hurricanes

Tropical Depression 2 Brings Flooding to South Texas

By: Ashley Batey
Updated: Fri 10:44 AM, Jul 09, 2010

*Updated 10:31 a.m. Friday* Updated rainfall totals from Tropical Depression 2.

*Updated 10:31 a.m. Friday*  Updated rainfall totals from Tropical Depression 2:

Laredo                                     7.80                                        
Victoria                                    4.25   

Bloomington                             3.60                     
Victoria Regional Airport         3.03                     
Fort Hood/Gray AAF               2.47         

Flooding has caused evacuations in Mexico and South Texas, after the heavy rainfall in addition to rains brought from Hurricane Alex last week.   

Stretches along the Rio Grande are seeing the worst of the storm. Over 8 inches of rain are expected in some areas near the river.
 

Take a look at the flooding caused by this storm in Downtown Monterrey.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  

*Updated 12:07 p.m.*  Tropical Depression 2 has moved inland.  The system has become much less organized, and appears to have just made landfall. Heavy rainfall is still a threat for areas that have already seen one round of torrential rain in the past week thanks to Hurricane Alex.  Near tropical storm-force winds can be expected along the lower Texas coast as well.

Rainfall totals near 4 inches are expected in Brownsville, with 6-8 inches projected in some parts of South Texas.  It appears the center of the storm is located over South Padre Island.  Showers and thunderstorms, including one possibly tornadic storm have already moved into the area, and will likely continue throughout the day today.

Radar image from Brownsville at 12:06 p.m.  Not much organization to this storm, but heavy rainfall possible.

For us, showers and thunderstorm chances will be increasing this afternoon, and isolated totals could be over three inches in some areas, likely in our southern counties.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Updated 8:20 a.m. Thursday*  Tropical Depression 2 remained a Tropical Depression overnight, but could still become a Tropical Storm today before making landfall.  Shower and thunderstorm activity near the center of the system has nearly vanished, but this does happen occasionally during early stages of formation.  Winds are still at 35 mph, just shy of Tropical Storm strength, and the system will have a chance to strengthen throughout the day today. 

The primary concern with this storm is the heavy rainfall.  3-5 inches could fall in some locations in the Brazos Valley, and the lower Texas coast will likely see even more todal and tonight as the system pushes onshore.

Showers are currently moving in from the South.  Parts of Waller and Austin counties already experiencing heavy rainfall.  The showers will continue to move North, and training, or heavy rainfall repeatedly moving over the same areas is possible today.  These are the areas that there will be special concern for flooding.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

*Updated 10:29 p.m. Wednesday*  Tropical Depression 2 has formed in the Gulf of Mexico.  Air Force Hurricane Hunters were sent to investigate an area of low pressure producing numerous showers and thunderstorms.  When they arrived, they found a closed low pressure circulation and winds of 35 mph, nearly tropical storm strength.

Water temperatures in the Western Gulf are over 80 degrees, and there is low wind shear in the area.  Those two factors mean that the depression will likely intensify overnight, and it doesn't have to strengthen much (only to 39 mph) to become Tropical Storm Bonnie.

The storm is expected to follow roughly the same track that Alex did, making landfall along the lower Texas coast or Mexico, but the good news is that this storm only has about 24 hours to strengthen, so it will not be nearly as strong as Hurricane Alex when it makes landfall.  However, heavy rainfall in already saturated areas of Texas and Mexico could cause more problems as the storm nears land.

Forecasters expect the depression to strengthen into a Tropical Storm, and Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued for the coastal areas of the lower Texas coast south of Baffin Bay and into Mexico.

In the Brazos Valley, we're expecting another round of heavy rain from the system.  Even though we won't see the worst of the storm, flash flooding and isolated funnel clouds/tornadoes are possible as a very moist tropical air mass continues to stream into the area tonight and tomorrow.

The storm is currently located at 23.9 N, 93.9 W, moving NW at 14 mph.

 

Read More Blogs
We ask that the following Community Standards be followed:
  • Comments must not be profane or vulgar.
  • Comments must not use hate speech, racial slurs, or violent descriptions.
  • We encourage varying views to be shared. We do ask commenters to not personally attack other readers, groups, people featured in our stories, or other posters for disagreeing with their views.
  • Comments must not contain negative, comparative debates between community standards of cities or towns.
  • Comments must contribute to the discussion, flaming and/or trolling will not be tolerated.
  • Comments must be truthful and not intentionally falsified. Providing a source link is encouraged.

If you find that a comment violates the above rules, please use the flagging option located to the right of the comment to notify the moderators.
For a complete list of guidelines, please follow this link:
http://www.kbtx.com/home/misc/Online-Commenting-Policy-181579421.html
powered by Disqus
KBTX-TV Channel 3 4141 E. 29th Street Bryan, TX 77802 Phone: (979) 846-7777 Fax: (979) 846-1490 News Fax: (979) 846-1888
Gray Television, Inc. - Copyright © 2002-2013 - Designed by Gray Digital Media - Powered by Clickability
User Agent: CCBot/2.0 - 97996304