No Classes In Houston After Overnight Flooding, More Storms Expected
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — An overnight storm dumped heavy rain in and around the Houston area. High water is such an issue that schools shut down Friday in the flood-prone city.
This is the second time this week that storms have drenched the city, but forecasters say floodwaters should recede as the storms let up.
The National Weather Service said most areas saw between 1 and 3 inches of rain late Thursday and early Friday, with some places getting 3 to 6 inches of rain during that time period. A lull in rainfall is expected Friday, but the area is bracing for another round of storms late Friday and early Saturday.
The storms pelted the Houston area with golf-ball sized hail and flooded streets, leading to several high-water rescues. Although the dome was up at Minute Maid Park, some fans at the Houston Astros' Thursday night game were drenched after the roof began leaking.
The Harris County Flood Control District said early Friday that many bayous and creeks had crested and the water level was beginning to fall.
At one point the storms left as many as 100,000 customers without electricity.
A flood warning was in effect for Houston through mid-morning Friday. In parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, forecasters warned that scattered flash flooding was possible as the storm heads to the east.
Houston has repeatedly faced flooding in recent years because the city has insufficient drainage and experienced rapid development that reduced wetlands.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
