By Jerald Jimenez
02 Sep 2024, 09:05 AM EDT
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a warning for possible heavy rainfall and flooding along the Texas coast during the next 48 hours. A broad area of low pressure is generating rainfall over the adjacent waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which is located off the coast of Texas.
Although the probability of a cyclone forming in the short to medium term remains low, residents should prepare for heavy rains and flash flooding in the coming days, the NHC said.
8am EDT Sat Aug 31: We’re keeping an eye on a broad area of low pressure near the upper Texas coast. The chance of development is low, but heavy rains could cause some flash flooding across portions of coastal Louisiana and the upper Texas coast during the next few days.
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— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 31, 2024
“A broad area of low pressure just off the upper Texas coast continues to produce some disorganized shower activity near the coast and over the adjacent waters of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico,” the agency said in its forecast on Monday.
This system is expected to move close to the coast during the next few days, with the possibility of slow development if it remains offshore. The NHC forecasts that the system will move inland on Tuesday, reducing the chances of further development.
Despite the low probability of a storm forming, estimated at only 10% over the next seven days, communities in affected areas of coastal Louisiana and upper Texas are urged to be on alert for possible flash flooding. Flash flooding can occur three to six hours after heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Several factors influence the likelihood of flash flooding, including rainfall intensity and location, land use, topography, vegetation types and growth density, and soil type and water content.
With information from Newsweek