Heavy Rain/Sve Wx Threat 12/29

[TexasMetBlake]

Appears storm in Northeast Fort Bend County may have some weak rotation. Anybody else see that?

[TexasMetBlake]

Storm in Wharton County also showing some broad rotation.

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid= ... 1&loop=yes

[srainhoutx]

There appears to be some rotation. I've had my eye on that complex since Wharton County. We'll leave this thread open for reports and observations. I've got 1.5 inches in the gauge and adding. Nice over performing system.

[TexasMetBlake]

Storms on the west side between the west loop and the west belt seem to be intensifying. Rainfall rates are probably topping an 1" per hour due to the merging of two storms over the NW side of town. Storms have shunted almost due north for a frame or two there and are headed for Aldine, IAH, and Kingwood if they hold together and no reason to think they won't at this point.

[srainhoutx]

FLOOD ADVISORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
321 PM CST WED DEC 29 2010

TXC481-292315-
/O.NEW.KHGX.FA.Y.0084.101229T2121Z-101229T2315Z/
/00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WHARTON TX-
321 PM CST WED DEC 29 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...
WHARTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

* UNTIL 515 PM CST

* AT 321 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN NORTH OF WHARTON AND EL
CAMPO NEAR PIERCE. RAINFALL RATES OF 2 INCHES AN HOUR WERE OCCURRING
WITH THIS ACTIVITY.

[TexasMetBlake]

I'm not surprised. Rainfall totals are approaching 4" on very hard, dry ground.

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?prod ... X&loop=yes

Steve, is there anyway you can fix the link to show the graphic? I'm not sure how to do it. Can you PM me directions?

[Andrew]

Here are some radars:

[svrwx0503]

There has been some weak rotation on the Wharton county storm up around 10-11 thousand feet but nothing too significant. Surface analysis indicates a low level boundary has setup just south of Houston, running from central Galveston bay across northern Galveston county, northern Brazoria, southern Ft. Bend and then back southwest along US 59 in Wharton county with all of the storms focusing along and north of it at this time. The northern Wharton county storms looks to be rooted north of the boundary, but should it start to ride up along it, we could see the tornado threat increase with that storm, so that will be something to keep an eye on.

The region remains at the nose of a 50kt 850mb jet which in combination with the strong s/w and now surface boundary are continuing to aid in the development of heavy showers and thunderstorms.

[svrwx0503]

Main concern this afternoon is going to be the flooding threat as the storms are developing on the northern side of the surface boundary. NWS has just issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for Harris county until 645pm. There is a lot of heavy rain getting ready to train into western Harris county and across the metro area over the next few hours.

[srainhoutx]

Main concern this afternoon is going to be the flooding threat as the storms are developing on the northern side of the surface boundary. NWS has just issued an urban and small stream flood advisory for Harris county until 645pm. There is a lot of heavy rain getting ready to train into western Harris county and across the metro area over the next few hours.

FLOOD ADVISORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
352 PM CST WED DEC 29 2010

TXC201-300045-
/O.CON.KHGX.FA.Y.0085.000000T0000Z-101230T0045Z/
/00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HARRIS TX-
352 PM CST WED DEC 29 2010

...THE URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
645 PM CST FOR CENTRAL HARRIS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...

AT 350 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGHOUT THE HOUSTON
METROPOLITAN AREA. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH
AT LEAST 5 OR 6 PM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE
COMMON.

FLOODING OF FEEDER ROADS HAS BEEN REPORTED ALONG INTERSTATE 45 AND
SPUR 5 NEAR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 225.
FLOODING OF STREETS...FEEDER ROADS...AND SECONDARY ROADS IS LIKELY.

[weatherguy425]

The southern most cell is dissplaying some obvious though probably "upper level " rotation. what is concerning is that (like mentioned earlier) it appears to be moving more due east, maybe along the surface boundary?

[Ptarmigan]

Talk about heavy rain. I wonder why NWS has not issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for this storm?

[srainhoutx]

Seeing some near 3 inch totals just E of 290 and S of the Belt via Harris County Rainfall map.

[srainhoutx]

E-mail from Jeff...

Urban Flood Advisory for Harris County until 645pm.

Training storms along US 59 producing 1-3 inches of rainfall in a short period of time leading to significant street flooding. Appears a low level convergence boundary has been produced along US 59 which continues to provide a focus for thunderstorm development from Wharton to Downtown Houston to Kingwood. ALERT stations have recorded 2.0-2.85 inches over Keegans and Brays Bayous, lower White Oak, upper Halls in the last 2-3 hours.

Current threat is widespread street flooding in the areas of excessive rainfall....however nearly stalled training within this band does raise concern for more significant flood problems should the train continue for the next 1-2 hours with current rainfall rates especially over urban Harris County.

[Wx_Watcher2011]

It has certainly been a long day. My grand total here in Midtown was 3.5 inches, most of that coming down between noon and 5 pm. Did get some decent lightning photos out of it, but certainly grateful that the severe weather potential never really materialized..

[wxman57]

My final total in southwest Houston (Westbury) was right at 3.5". Can I have some warm, dry weather now?

[srainhoutx]

My final total in southwest Houston (Westbury) was right at 3.5". Can I have some warm, dry weather now?

Not likely.