Tropical Storm Imelda quickly organized, formed, and made landfall all today. Imelda was the ninth named storm of the 2019 Atlantic Season. As it’s set to creep slowly north, the storm could drop a dozen or more inches of rain in Houston and Galveston this week. As a result multiple areas are under TS and Flood Warnings and a Flood Watch.
Tropical Storm Imelda Facts:
- Location: 30 miles west of Galveston, TX
- Max sustained wind: 40 mph
- Movement: N at 7 mph
- Storm Behavior: Imelda is expected to weaken as it moves further inland.
- A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Sargent to Port Bolivar.
- A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for the upper Texas coast, including Houston and Galveston.
Imelda Analysis:
The center of Tropical Storm Imelda has made its way onshore this afternoon near the city of Freeport. Winds will be diminishing later tonight and Wednesday, however unsettled weather on the Texas coastline will continue for the next several days. As a result, a flash flood watch is in effect for the area through Wednesday afternoon. So far, 2 to nearly 4 inches of rain have fallen over southern Harris and northern Galveston counties over the past 24 hours.
Until the storm moves north out of TX on Friday, Imelda is expected to produce 6-12 inches of total rainfall with some isolated maximum amounts of 18 inches in the upper coastal regions of Texas (including Houston and Galveston). That amount of rainfall is likely to produce significant and life threatening flash flooding in prone areas. The biggest concern with the forecast is the possibility of rain bands stalling over metropolitan areas and dumping rain at a rate up to 3 inches per hour. The hope is that TS Imelda can be reclassified as a TD later this evening or tonight. Hazards will remain regardless; heavy rainfall, potential for flash flooding, minor coastal flooding at high tide, and 35-40kt wind gusts in bands of precipitation.
Additional Info:
The Weather Channel Ongoing Imelda Update
Imelda Storm Track:
Newly formed TS Imelda will dump rain on Eastern and especially Coastal TX this week
