AccuWeather meteorologists put Dallas on alert for flooding rainfall
Much of the southern Plains, including Texas and Oklahoma, have endured extreme drought conditions this summer. AccuWeather meteorologists say a change in the weather pattern could bring rain to parched areas as early as this weekend, but it also could bring the risk of flooding.
The Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex is expected to be in the crossroads of heavier downpours next week.
Since June 5, Dallas-Love Field Airport has recorded only 0.20 of an inch of rainfall. All of this rain came on or after Aug. 10, leaving the city with more than two months of no measurable rainfall. This minuscule amount of rainfall is only 3% of the normal 6.03 inches of rain that the city normally receives during that time.
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As next week begins, the threat of heavier rain will shift into the south-central United States.
"A southward dip in the jet stream across the central U.S. will help to funnel moisture into parts of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Renee Duff.
The combination of moisture from the North American monsoon, which will continue to pummel the Southwest through the weekend, as well as moisture streaming up from the Gulf of Mexico is expected to feed into the area as early as Sunday but persist for several days.
The heaviest and most widespread rainfall is expected to occur from Sunday to Monday along the Red River to the Interstate 20 corridor, before shifting to the south and east towards the I-10 corridor Tuesday and Wednesday.
"The rounds of rain, through the middle of the week, are expected to bring widespread amounts of 2-4 inches from northwestern Texas into central Mississippi," explained Duff.
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Areas along the Oklahoma-Texas border and into northern Texas are likely to receive even more rainfall, on the order of 4-8 inches, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 14 inches possible.
Low-lying and poor drainage areas will likely be the first to experience flooding following a heavier downpour. However, the enduring drought across the area means that more extensive flooding is possible.
Over 60% of the state of Texas is under an extreme or exceptional drought according to the latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, while over 85% is in at least a severe drought.
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The above image shows the state of the drought across the south-central United States, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor update on Aug. 18. |
Meanwhile, 90% of Oklahoma is experiencing severe or worse drought conditions.
Cities such as Oklahoma City and San Antonio will be on the periphery of the most persistent rainfall. Both have also had a dry summer and are experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions. Both cities have had less than a third of an inch of rainfall so far in August.
The rainfall that is expected to hit these areas in the coming week, in the long term, will help to make a dent in the persistent drought. However, the excessive dry ground will have trouble absorbing the rain in the short term, leading to more expansive flooding.
Rapidly rising water could cover roadways or even wash them out, making routes impassible, experts say. Drivers traveling at high speeds should also be careful to avoid hydroplaning on standing water.
"In order to stay safe, residents should have a way, like the AccuWeather App, to be advised of flash flooding alerts in their area," warned Duff.
AccuWeather forecasters say that portions of southern Texas that are unlikely to be hit with rounds of heavy rain next week could instead face another tropical threat. South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley received 5-10 inches of rain in recent days as a tropical rainstorm rolled in from the Gulf of Mexico.
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