Texas Dries Up Midweek, High Chance of Flooding Rains Sunday Night in Dallas Area

Weather forecasts for Texas include drying up during the midweek and flooding rains from Sunday night to the next morning.

Over 9 inches of rain fell on the Dallas area on Monday, causing severe flooding throughout the city and setting new records. Some nearby areas also experienced as much as a foot of rain in just one day. While AccuWeather forecasters predict that central Texas will dry out by midweek, they also predict that flooding will continue in some areas of the south-central United States.

Andrew Johnson-Levine, a meteorologist from AccuWeather, says that over the next few days, the hardest-hit areas of Texas will experience a respite. However, the heavy rainfall will return, posing a continued threat of flooding.

This week's threat of flooding will remain in effect due to the Gulf of Mexico's continued flow of humid air northward, numerous rounds of showers, and thunderstorms.

Training for Storms

Forecasters refer to the repeated movement of several thunderstorms over the same areas as "training." The name for this pattern of thunderstorms refers to how they follow a similar path. This can occasionally lead to one area receiving several inches of rain in as little as an hour or two, while another area nearby may receive much less.

The atmospheric conditions that led to the storms that drenched Dallas with torrential rain by late Sunday night through early Monday morning are largely the same.

Johnson-Levine said that as a front stays stuck in the South this week and tropical moisture moves north, the origin of the heavy rain will not change.

The rain will be good for the area in the long run. Approximately 60% of the south-central US is experiencing severe drought, or worse, according to the United States Drought Monitor. Due to the recent and anticipated rain, the drought monitor, which is updated every Thursday, may appear significantly different this week.

Flooding is always more likely when there is significant rainfall in a brief period. This is particularly true in urban areas and cities.

Johnson-Levine explained that roads and other hard surfaces prevent the ground from absorbing water.

A large amount of the water drains into creeks and streams, raising them. Water frequently enters buildings such as residences and businesses.

According to experts, the best way to get to a destination when a road is covered in water is to take another route. In some instances, it may not be possible to travel through the water safely because the road beneath the water might've been washed away.

Heaviest Rain

By Friday, a sizable area between southern and eastern Texas and most of the Southeast area will be at risk for daily thunderstorms and showers. The area from southeast Texas through the central and southern parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as most of Alabama, is predicted to have the highest flood risk.

Through Wednesday night, cities like Jackson, Mississippi; New Orleans; and Montgomery, Alabama, could experience flooding as a result of this torrential downpour.

Thursday will see a slight reduction in the threat area, which will be primarily concentrated in southern and eastern Mississippi, southern and central Alabama, and far western Georgia.

Friday could bring heavy rain to areas as far east as South Carolina. There will be a chance of flooding on Friday in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Augusta and Savannah, Georgia. However, compared to locations further to the west, the likelihood of flooding in these areas will be a little lower on Wednesday and Thursday.

Towards the weekend, the weather will likely be more conducive to the afternoon occurrence of more commonplace spotty thunderstorms. Even though downpours are possible during any of those storms, they are common in the South during the summer, and any extended flooding will only affect a small area, AccuWeather reports.