Millions face growing flood threat across South through Memorial Day and beyond amid days of downpours
Relentless storms are soaking much of the South this Memorial Day weekend, triggering flash flooding across portions of the region, with additional rainfall expected to compound the flood risk into this week.
Relentless storms are soaking much of the South this Memorial Day weekend, triggering flash flooding across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. But the downpours don't just stop there. More cumulative rain totals are expected to escalate later in the week, heightening more flooding risks.
A Level 2 out of 4 flash flood risk continues across portions of the region through Wednesday, leaving 20 million Americans at risk of more flash flooding into the week.
WET WEATHER EXPECTED TO DAMPEN PLANS FOR MILLIONS ON THE EAST COAST THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Friday alone brought over half a foot of rain near Mobile, Alabama, causing the Bayou Sara at Saraland to reach major flood stage.
Along with that, recent rainfall brought totals of 7+ inches to Sinton and Freeport, Texas; Winona, Mississippi and Collinsville, Oklahoma.
This is all due to a deep plume of tropical moisture surging northward from the Gulf of America that will continue to interact with a series of slow-moving upper-level disturbances and a stalling frontal boundary.
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As multiple storm complexes move over the same corridors, well over 3 to 5 inches of rain is possible from eastern Texas into Louisiana and Mississippi through Friday.
That said, localized amounts of 5 to 8 inches or more are possible from the Louisiana-Texas border through southern Mississippi, with major cities from Houston to New Orleans in the bullseye for the highest totals.
The Fox Forecast Center said that because of the surplus rainfall so far this month across regions along the Gulf Coast, soils remain saturated, and any additional rain could lead to flash flooding.
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Currently, some Gulf Coast cities are running over 3 inches above average for the month of May.
This has prompted a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood risk for coastal Louisiana on Sunday, and as another system moves in from the west, this flood threat will re-ignite across central and eastern Texas into Tuesday and Wednesday, where another Level 2 threat is present.
These areas include San Antonio, Houston, and Austin, with Flood Watches also in place through Monday from southeast Texas into southern Louisiana.
In total, across the Southern region, a widespread 3 to 5 inches of rainfall is forecast through Friday.
Stay with FOX Weather as we continue to track the latest forecast.
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