Galveston County, TX

The next round of scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms is expected late tonight and will continue into Sunday afternoon or evening. After a week of heavy rainfall, the soils north of I-10 have become very saturated and area rivers are still dealing with moderate to major flooding. So, any additional rainfall will be quick to produce ponding or flooding that will be slow to drain. The Flood Watch has been expanded to include Austin and Colorado counties and has been extended into Sunday evening. Areas within the Watch may see up to 1-3" of rainfall with isolated amounts of up to 4-8" possible. Because of the possibility of heavy rainfall and the already saturated grounds, the Excessive Rainfall Outlook has now introduced an area of Moderate Risk (level 3 of 4) for areas generally along and north of I-10. If we issue any Flash Flood Warnings tonight, we will be emphasizing staying off the roads and staying out of flood waters. In addition to the flooding threat, there is a chance of isolated strong to severe thunderstorms capable of producing hail, strong winds, and even a brief tornado. Get live updates on the interactive weather map and follow GCOEM on twitter @galvcountyoem and the National Weather Service @NWSHouston.