Red Cross spokesperson Eric Oubre said workers are standing by across 51 counties in case of emergency caused by the flash flood watch for all inland areas of southeast Texas that runs through 7 a.m. Tuesday.
"We've got 17 trailers ready to go across the area," he said, adding that each one can serve 100 people and is stocked with items like blankets and cots. "I don't know how much we're actually going to get but we just want to be prepared."
An average of 3 to 5 inches of rain is anticipated area-wide, with as much as 8 to 10 inches in some areas of the state. Most of the rainfall locally is expected to move southwestwardly along Highway 59, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Patrick Blood.
"Due to continued moderate southeast winds, coastal flooding will occur along western portions of Galveston Bay and Gulf facing beaches, especially during times of high tide," Blood reports.
Throughout Sunday, heavy rain moved east across Texas, causing flood advisories in Bexar, Kendall, Comal and several other counties, according to local reports.
More than 6 inches of rain were reported in parts of Travis County on Sunday, causing flooding and power outages, the Austin American-Statesman reported. More than 50 low-water crossings closed throughout the day and at least one water rescue was performed in the western part of Travis County. Pedernales Falls State Park in central Texas saw nickel-size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph.
According to the Associated Press, the storm system spun its way through Colorado and Wyoming before bringing heavy rains to Oklahoma and Texas.
The National Weather Service is encouraging residents to monitor the latest weather forecasts as various watches and warnings may be issued through Tuesday morning. They suggest seeking shelter indoors in case of heavy rainfall, lightning, hail or high winds.
———
©2016 the Houston Chronicle
Visit the Houston Chronicle at www.chron.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
