Thursday showers and thunderstorms bring up to 12 inches of rain to Corpus Christi

Katie Nickas, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read
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Thursday brought heavy showers and thunderstorms to the Coastal Bend, resulting in flash flooding and road closures throughout Corpus Christi and cities lying along the southern Coastal Plains.

The warm, tropical air moved along the Western and Central Gulf Coast early Thursday morning, with portions of Padre Island receiving as much as 10 inches to 12 inches of rainfall in a short amount of time. Residents navigated roads that were swollen with water, including Park Road 22, which was closed at one point due to storm surges that inundated the road with water.

Storms proceeded upward to the northern portions of Corpus Christi as the day progressed, hitting patches of Interstate 37 and the North Padre Island Drive area downtown with rain. A total of between 2 inches and 5 inches of precipitation accumulated in that area.

A Public Works Department worker holding a hoe is reflected in rain water that did not drain properly on Palmero Street after a storm on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Storm Water department is attempting to unclog an underground pipe.
A Public Works Department worker holding a hoe is reflected in rain water that did not drain properly on Palmero Street after a storm on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Storm Water department is attempting to unclog an underground pipe.

Most of the rain had dissipated by mid- to late afternoon, with not much expected the rest of the day. Meteorologists looking at the forecast for Friday, however, are looking at the potential for another round of showers and thunderstorms.

"A really moist atmosphere with mid-level disturbances that keep cycling across the area are what keep the pattern going," said Penny Harness, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi. "We'll see that continue until Sunday, and then we head into next week, we'll be drying out."

NWS Corpus Christi meteorologists predicted a moderate risk for heavy rainfall around 11:30 a.m., with the potential for additional flash flooding expanded south across the island. NWS warned commuters to be very careful driving around in the afternoon.

Harness said Corpus Christi residents could see a couple more inches of rain fall before the end of the weekend.

Isolated incidents of higher rainfall amounts such as the one that happened Thursday morning, where storm cells hovering over an area can produce several inches of rain in an hour, aren't out of the question in the days ahead, which could bring more flooding, Harness said.

"Ten inches of rain in six hours will cause flooding no matter where you are," she said. "That's an immense amount of rain in one location. The ground just can't handle that."

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Thursday showers bring up to 12 inches of rain to Corpus Christi