Major flash flood event is underway in and west/northwest of the Houston metro this morning. Several locations have picked up 10 to 18 inches of rain overnight. Heavy rain continues to build into the area and rain totals continue to rise. An additional 2 to 6 inches of rain could fall through the early afternoon in some areas – bringing total rain accumulations over 20 inches in spots. Many bayous are in major flood stage. Understand that this is not your typical Houston flooding and that we are going to have serious issues. Do not travel if at all possible as numerous roads – including highways – are closed due to flooding. I won’t try to list all the closures here. I encourage you to follow local media, the National Weather Service in Houston, and the Harris County Flood Control District for continuous updates. We’ll have a more detailed forecast update for the region after 9 AM. Additional rain is likely today as another round forms further west.

FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
705 AM CDT MON APR 18 2016

…FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY EXPANDED SOUTHEAST…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL HARRIS COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS…
CENTRAL FORT BEND COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS…

* UNTIL 900 AM CDT

* AT 701 AM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. SUGARLAND HAS REPORTED
OVER 6 INCHES OF RAIN. FLASH FLOODING IS OCCURRING. ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED.

THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS
SITUATION.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…
SUGAR LAND…NORTHERN MISSOURI CITY…NORTHEASTERN ROSENBERG…
STAFFORD…BELLAIRE…WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE…RICHMOND…HUNTERS CREEK
VILLAGE…PINEY POINT VILLAGE…ASTRODOME AREA…SPRING VALLEY…
GREATER FIFTH WARD…FOURTH WARD…PECAN GROVE…FIRST COLONY…
NEARTOWN / MONTROSE…SECOND WARD…GREATER EASTWOOD…DOWNTOWN
HOUSTON AND GREATER HEIGHTS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. STAY OFF
ROADS IN THE EMERGENCY AREA.

TURN AROUND…DON’T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.