Tropical Storm Watch Issued for Texas and Louisiana Coasts

A tropical storm watch is in effect for portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts as a system that could become a short-lived tropical storm approaches the region. m. ET on Tuesday. Forecasters expect it to strengthen into Tropical Storm Arthur by early Wednesday morning before moving inland over extreme east Texas or southwest Louisiana by late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Heavy rainfall remains the primary concern.

The Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 3 out of 4 threat of flash flooding for parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama from Tuesday through Thursday. Rainfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour are possible in some areas, with totals of 4 to 8 inches expected through Thursday from coastal Texas through much of Louisiana and into central and southern Mississippi and Alabama.

A few locations could receive up to a foot of rain. Flood watches cover more than 16 million people from South Texas to central and southern Mississippi.

The system has already produced flooding across central and south-central Texas. A woman died in Bandera County northwest of San Antonio after her vehicle was swept into a flooded creek early Monday. Officials issued a disaster declaration for 101 counties in Texas and activated additional state emergency response resources on Monday.

Multiple water rescues occurred in several counties, including Travis, Williamson and Bexar. The local sheriff’s office received 52 calls for water rescues during a six-hour period. A new cold front will shift the moisture northward and eastward on Thursday, bringing additional flood risk to central Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.