By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist
October 17, 2018, 10:02:04 PM EDT
Areas of Texas that have been inundated with flooding downpours since last week will face more heavy rainfall before a needed reprieve this weekend.
Into Wednesday night, the steadiest rain and greatest risk of localized flooding is likely to set up over western and northern portions of Texas. Meanwhile, areas farther south, such as San Antonio and Houston, may only be dampened by a spotty shower or two.
“A new surge of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico may lead to more rounds of drenching rain and a renewed risk of flooding on Thursday and Friday,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
The downpours will sweep through a corridor from Corpus Christi to San Antonio, Abilene, Wichita Falls and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. A bit of rain can also reach Oklahoma City late Thursday into Friday.
“The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ for portions of central Texas is projected to be 14 inches from Friday, Oct. 12 through Friday, Oct. 19,” Sosnowski said.
With the ground already saturated and rivers swollen, any additional rainfall will only slow the recession of floodwaters, exacerbate ongoing flooding problems and could expand flooding issues into other communities.
The Llano River at Llano, Texas, crested at 39.91 feet on Tuesday morning, which fell just shy of the all-time record of 41.5 feet.
The flooded river prompted evacuations and a bridge collapse.
The Trinity River at Liberty, Texas, is projected to peak at major flood stage this weekend, possibly just a couple feet shy of the record crest of 32.7 feet.
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Dallas has already had their all-time wettest autumn (Sept. 1-Nov.30), breaking the old record of 21.82 inches set in 2015.
In addition, this month has a chance of becoming the wettest October in the city’s history, with the 14.18 inches that fell in October 1981 holding the top spot.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 16, the city has received 10.63 inches of rain since the start of the month, making it the second wettest October thus far.
Fortunately, for those having to deal with flooding cleanup and who are just tired of the rain, the weather will trend drier this weekend.
A sweep of drier air from the north will suppress rainfall generally south of Interstate 20 on Saturday and south of Interstate 10 on Sunday.
The threat for flooding may then shift to far southern Texas as downpours congregate in the region late this weekend into early next week.
"The surge of water that hit the rivers in the central part of the state during this week will reach areas on the coastal plain by next week," Sosnowski said.
So even though the rains may stop or were never that extreme in some locations, river flooding may still occur.
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