Just putting this here for the record. In about a week, it seems there's likely to be extensive flooding in the Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC areas.
Unprecedented Rainfall and Major Flooding Around the World
- Thread starter Third_Density_Resident
- Start date
XPan
The Living Force
Via Etnea, Catania - Sicily
This is also what often happens in the large city of Catania south of Etna. My husband told me the story that during the Roman times there was an underground dam, which easily led the large water masses down to the sea, without creating flooding in the city. As this underground dam has been re-discovered in our times later, it could have been restored, because large parts where still intact.
But instead they ignored it, and now Catania gets massive flooding several times a year, especially along the main road of Via Etnea. It is a major problem for all the stores located along that street (albeit the water also runs down quickly to the sea - that you many times don't see anything in the streets 24-36 hours later). But the damages inside must be... large.
I wanna share with you something that i expirienced few days ago and i think its related to this topic and find it very interesting.
So,my mom come to visit me for few days and one night we were watching news and talking about everything.And then on tv appear news about all that floods and rains and we continiued talking about that.After a little chat my mom said:“Ah,we are heading to ice age“ ^^
A big silence after that with lot of question mark above my head.
She said that very calmly,like it is normal thing that everyone knows.I`ll ask her to repeat what she said and she repeated clearly ;that we are heading to ice age.I asked her how she know that,where did she get that.And she answered again calmly:“I just know“.
I was astonished because my mom is just regular women 65y,a woman who is retired,who cleaning,cooking,cultivates the garden,watching soap nothing special.
I was impressed with it that night because i was thinking if people who are not familiar with this or similar materials are getting such signals it means that things have sped up.
I didnt know that my mom is so awesome.
So,my mom come to visit me for few days and one night we were watching news and talking about everything.And then on tv appear news about all that floods and rains and we continiued talking about that.After a little chat my mom said:“Ah,we are heading to ice age“ ^^
A big silence after that with lot of question mark above my head.
She said that very calmly,like it is normal thing that everyone knows.I`ll ask her to repeat what she said and she repeated clearly ;that we are heading to ice age.I asked her how she know that,where did she get that.And she answered again calmly:“I just know“.
I was astonished because my mom is just regular women 65y,a woman who is retired,who cleaning,cooking,cultivates the garden,watching soap nothing special.
I was impressed with it that night because i was thinking if people who are not familiar with this or similar materials are getting such signals it means that things have sped up.
I didnt know that my mom is so awesome.
Fresh flash floods in Spain (Province of Almeria) - 3 inch downpour in a few minutes. Videos here -
www.sott.net
Incessant flash floods hit Spain again, this time in Almería province - nearly 3 INCH downpour in just a FEW MINUTES
Almería in southeast Spain has been hit with up to 70 litres of rainfall which fell in a matter of minutes, flooding roads and dragging away cars, as the country braces for another DANA storm that will leave plenty of heavy rain. Spain is being...
www.sott.net
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I am often reminded of this session in which they said this:
Session August 17, 2003
Q: (L) I don't think that was one of your options. (A) well, someone on the physics newsgroups was discussing this, so maybe it is a confirmation. (L) Look! It's raining. (After months of extraordinary heat and many deaths, rain was significant.)
{Break to go and check out the rain.}
Q: (A) So we can ask then about this weather breakthrough yesterday, is it a sign of a break through in our own situation?
A: One day there will be sheets of rain.
{group laughter}
Q: (Perceval) Can we expect an ice age any time soon?
A: wait a couple of years and check the thermometer!!!
{group laughter}
Q: (L) Is a couple of years a clue here?
A: Is it? Hmm...
{more laughter}
Q: (L) I suppose we can take that as a yes. (Galahad) We recently pulled together some info on the Maunder Minimum. Are we correct in the direction we are taking on that?
A: We wondered how long it would take you to figure that one out.
Session August 17, 2003
Q: (L) I don't think that was one of your options. (A) well, someone on the physics newsgroups was discussing this, so maybe it is a confirmation. (L) Look! It's raining. (After months of extraordinary heat and many deaths, rain was significant.)
{Break to go and check out the rain.}
Q: (A) So we can ask then about this weather breakthrough yesterday, is it a sign of a break through in our own situation?
A: One day there will be sheets of rain.
{group laughter}
Q: (Perceval) Can we expect an ice age any time soon?
A: wait a couple of years and check the thermometer!!!
{group laughter}
Q: (L) Is a couple of years a clue here?
A: Is it? Hmm...
{more laughter}
Q: (L) I suppose we can take that as a yes. (Galahad) We recently pulled together some info on the Maunder Minimum. Are we correct in the direction we are taking on that?
A: We wondered how long it would take you to figure that one out.
Areas on the Spanish coast keeps getting water. Today it was Malaga, as seen from the first three minutes of this video:
Apparently, some area received 120 mm within a 12 hour period.
There is a cut-off low, (see Nov 6, 2024 for explanation) over Portugal. This a screenshot of the Ventusky temperature map for an altitude of 5500 m. Tracing the development, it was over France yesterday, before that over the Netherlands, it seems to have come from the area of the southern North Sea, so it has moved south-west.
Over the next few days the high altitude low pressure will move west at a slower pace and gradually weaken. By the 17th-18th it is expected to disappear.
Twitter has no lack of reports, though the quality varies. Here are a few:
There is a cut-off low, (see Nov 6, 2024 for explanation) over Portugal. This a screenshot of the Ventusky temperature map for an altitude of 5500 m. Tracing the development, it was over France yesterday, before that over the Netherlands, it seems to have come from the area of the southern North Sea, so it has moved south-west.
Over the next few days the high altitude low pressure will move west at a slower pace and gradually weaken. By the 17th-18th it is expected to disappear.
Twitter has no lack of reports, though the quality varies. Here are a few:
Sheets of rain!
www.sott.net
Red Alert on Pacific Coast as flooding worsens in Costa Rica - November rainfall already up to 10 times more than normal - 3 feet in 6 days
Red Alert on Pacific Coast as flooding worsens in Costa Rica - November rainfall already up to 10 times more than normal - 3 feet in 6 days
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica has issued a red alert for the Pacific coast as severe flooding and heavy rains continue. The rest of the country remains under an orange alert, with the Southern Caribbean under a yellow...
www.sott.net
Red Alert on Pacific Coast as flooding worsens in Costa Rica - November rainfall already up to 10 times more than normal - 3 feet in 6 days
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica has issued a red alert for the Pacific coast as severe flooding and heavy rains continue. The rest of the country remains under an orange alert, with the Southern Caribbean under a yellow alert.
This heightened alert follows forecasts that the intense rainy conditions are expected to persist throughout the week. "Rainfall is projected to continue for the next several days, especially along the Costa Rican Pacific coast. Additionally, there is significant soil saturation across much of the country," the CNE reported.
In just six days, Guanacaste has recorded rainfall totals that typically match the entire month of November. "In some areas, rainfall levels have been 8, 9, or even 10 times the usual amount for November. If the average monthly rainfall is 130 millimeters, some areas have received up to 900 millimeters in just six days," explained meteorologist Daniel Poleo.
Many areas are experiencing unprecedented rainfall levels, with the North Pacific region especially impacted. "It's been an extraordinarily rainy month, which explains the numerous incidents in Guanacaste and the South Pacific," Poleo added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) has extended the suspension of classes nationwide for the remainder of the week, citing hazardous weather conditions. "This decision was made to ensure the safety and well-being of our educational community," stated an MEP spokesperson. As of Tuesday, 114 schools have been affected by flooding and damage, with several schools in the most impacted areas now serving as shelters for evacuees.
Costa Rica's iconic national parks have also been impacted by the relentless rains, with some forced to close temporarily due to saturated soils and landslide risks. Chirripó National Park and La Amistad International Park (PILA) will be closed from today, Wednesday, until Monday, November 18. Corcovado National Park, Caño Island Biological Reserve, Piedras Blancas National Park, Golfito National Wildlife Refuge, and Ballena Marine National Park will also be closed from November 13 to 17. The Prusia Sector of Irazú Volcano National Park is closed until November 14 due to a landslide.
These closures and disruptions underscore the severity of the weather conditions currently affecting Costa Rica. Visitors are advised to stay updated on weather forecasts and exercise caution when traveling in affected regions.
XPan
The Living Force
East Sicily / East side of Etna
Nov 2024
Fasten your seat belt, ladies and gentlemen. Again, while Spain get's a lot of attention - it seems pretty much unknown what just happened on the East side of Sicily, with similar / greater rainfall numbers compared to Spain. We're talking about up to 1000mm rain during a couple of days, and 500 mm in Giarre within 8 hours.
Or so they say...
What startles me - are two things
1) is that the area of the torrential rainfalls was relatively small. The city of Catania for example didn't get as much (somewhere around 160 mm) in total, compared to 1000 mm in the Giarre area that have been reported (from private stations?) Etna does indeed pose a huge problem along its east flank, when very moist air is forced to lift above the coast, often resulting into excessive rainfalls there. That phenomena I have observed many times, on the verge of extreme - albeit not this extreme.
While there have been a lot of T-storms over Sicily during one week, yet when i checked the satellite charts on that particular day (13 Nov 2024) in the area of Giarre, i just can't see the type of clouds that would generate 500 mm within 8 hours !!
Flooding in Giarre Nov 2024
There were no thunderstorms present in the area on the 13th Nov !
While I do not doubt the images of flooding in that area were/are real... but when you get 500+ mm as claimed, in just 8 hours, you would or could expect simply catastrophic images with most severe damages (One time in Sweden, an unprecedented 400+ mm fell within a 6 hours in a remote area Aug 1997, the so called Furufjäll catastrophe: It created such extreme damages, as if a tsunami went though the landscape, changing it forever).
Such damages or pictures I have not seen from East Sicily, other than in some local areas pretty bad flooding, a couple cars got dragged out of sea... which even 120 mm rain in 6 hours could accomplish afoot a high mountain. But 500mm rain in 6 hours...?! i feel there is something off about the story, but i can't prove it.
I did see one private station reporting 300+mm in Giarre, but not the 500+ mm rain on 13 Nov. Yet, private stations are always a bit... well, you have to be careful with what and how they measure. I saved a screen dump from that day covering 16 hours.
So, i reserve myself about the accuracy revolving those insane high numbers of 1000 mm rain and 500+ mm in 8 hours in the Giarre region, north of Catania.
I found another map, which shows rainfalls from the SIAS network for the month of 1-13 November 2024. I still think it is a bit on the excessive side. No words about if the numbers and stations have been gone though a validation of accuracy.
Nov 2024
Fasten your seat belt, ladies and gentlemen. Again, while Spain get's a lot of attention - it seems pretty much unknown what just happened on the East side of Sicily, with similar / greater rainfall numbers compared to Spain. We're talking about up to 1000mm rain during a couple of days, and 500 mm in Giarre within 8 hours.
Or so they say...
In the hinterland of Catania a weather event similar to that of Valencia: over 500 mm of rain in a few hours, more than 1,000mm in the last few days. Luckily 800 thousand people do not live in Giarre otherwise it would have been a massacre. But someone called us terrorists... and instead even with the drought everything went as widely predicted on Meteo Web
Another day of torrential rain in Sicily : the situation is critical between Messinaand Catania , especially on the eastern side of Etna , where since midnight 511mm of rain have fallen in Giarre, 304mm in Nunziata, 225mm in Acireale, 223mm in Riposto, 201mm in Linera, 168mm in Lavinaio, 164mm in Piedimonte Etneo, 155mm in Viagrande, 154mm in Linguaglossa, 150mm in Fornazzo, 101mm in Zafferana Etnea, 97mm in Calatabiano. The situation is dramatic between Giarre and Acireale, where victims are feared due to the fury of the bad weather: numerous cars have been dragged into the sea , it is a real flood.
Bad weather in Sicily, today 9th consecutive day of rain: sensational 1,050mm in Giarre, exceptional rainfall DATA for the whole island
The torrential rain that has been falling for days in Giarre , on the northern Ionian coast of the province of Catania, is impressive: with today's exceptional precipitation, we are at 1,052.3 mm per month fallen in 9 days of rain: this is an extraordinary record for the whole of Sicily. It is still a very partial accumulation for a location that has an annual rainfall average of less than 650mm of rain. This means that in the last nine days almost double the rain that usually falls in a year has fallen!
What startles me - are two things
1) is that the area of the torrential rainfalls was relatively small. The city of Catania for example didn't get as much (somewhere around 160 mm) in total, compared to 1000 mm in the Giarre area that have been reported (from private stations?) Etna does indeed pose a huge problem along its east flank, when very moist air is forced to lift above the coast, often resulting into excessive rainfalls there. That phenomena I have observed many times, on the verge of extreme - albeit not this extreme.
While there have been a lot of T-storms over Sicily during one week, yet when i checked the satellite charts on that particular day (13 Nov 2024) in the area of Giarre, i just can't see the type of clouds that would generate 500 mm within 8 hours !!
Flooding in Giarre Nov 2024
There were no thunderstorms present in the area on the 13th Nov !
While I do not doubt the images of flooding in that area were/are real... but when you get 500+ mm as claimed, in just 8 hours, you would or could expect simply catastrophic images with most severe damages (One time in Sweden, an unprecedented 400+ mm fell within a 6 hours in a remote area Aug 1997, the so called Furufjäll catastrophe: It created such extreme damages, as if a tsunami went though the landscape, changing it forever).
Such damages or pictures I have not seen from East Sicily, other than in some local areas pretty bad flooding, a couple cars got dragged out of sea... which even 120 mm rain in 6 hours could accomplish afoot a high mountain. But 500mm rain in 6 hours...?! i feel there is something off about the story, but i can't prove it.
I did see one private station reporting 300+mm in Giarre, but not the 500+ mm rain on 13 Nov. Yet, private stations are always a bit... well, you have to be careful with what and how they measure. I saved a screen dump from that day covering 16 hours.
So, i reserve myself about the accuracy revolving those insane high numbers of 1000 mm rain and 500+ mm in 8 hours in the Giarre region, north of Catania.
I found another map, which shows rainfalls from the SIAS network for the month of 1-13 November 2024. I still think it is a bit on the excessive side. No words about if the numbers and stations have been gone though a validation of accuracy.
Atmospheric River Takes Aim at Northern California
<p>A moderate to extreme intensity surge of atmospheric river (AR) moisture will continue to unleash
A moderate to extreme intensity surge of atmospheric river (AR) moisture will continue to unleash heavy precipitation in California. Another AR will approach the region toward the middle of the week with lower snow levels and widespread rainfall. What is an AR surge? It's extra moisture that is funneled into storm systems often making them wetter. AR events can generate flash flooding, mudslides, and feet of high mountain snowfall accumulation. The atmospheric river is sometimes referred to as the 'Pineapple Express' as it brings air from near the tropics (Hawaii) into the mid-latitudes.
When the AR intensity gets up to strong or higher, hazardous impacts are expected. Flash flooding and wind are expected to cause issues, especially on Saturday around the Bay area.
Rainfall totals will add up over the next seven days as multiple rounds of rain move in. Areas along and north of I-80 can expect the heaviest precipitation, including heavy snow in the mountains.
Winter alerts have now been issued for parts of the Sierra and the Great Basin for the heavy snow that continues into early next week.
Warmer temperatures are expected with this first surge of moisture this weekend, with snow levels quite high - around 7,000 feet. The trailing low pressure system will gradually drop snow levels Monday night through Tuesday. Expect more difficult travel over I-80 in the evenings this weekend, with slick conditions during the daytime hours by Tuesday.
Forecast snowfall accumulation at higher elevations (around 8K at Tahoe) will be measured in feet.
A few highlights, grand totals 1/31-2/6:
- Mount Shasta: 50-70"
- Kirkwood: 50"
- Palisades Tahoe: 36"
- Mammoth Mountain: 36"
Timing
The heaviest rain is expected now through Sunday, with lingering precipitation into next week around I-80 and San Francisco. The next big surge of moisture arrives Monday into Tuesday.
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Impressive process of occlusion of the storm #Ivo crossing Brittany & @paysdelaloire , with the formation of a hook intensifying the precipitation, 
aggravating the historical #crues in Ille-et-Vilaine in particular, & triggering new floods in the Somme.
More Bay Area rain in forecast; emergency crews worry about landslides
By Allie Rasmus Published February 6, 2025 7:28am PST Sonoma County
The Brief
*More rain is expected Thursday and Friday, causing concerns over more landslides in North Bay.*Some landslides and water rescues have already occurred in Sonoma County.
*Skies are expected to clear on Saturday through the weekend.
10 dead, 100's evacuated, cars swept away by floods in Bahía Blanca, Argentina - 400 millimeters (15 inches) of rain in just hours, equal to year's worth of rainfall
Eight hours of nonstop rain left the city of 350,000 people largely underwater, and forced authorities to evacuate the Jose Penna hospital. Television images showed medical personnel evacuating babies from the hospital's neonatal unit, and the...
www.sott.net
10 dead, 100's evacuated, cars swept away by floods in Bahía Blanca, Argentina - 400 millimeters (15 inches) of rain in just hours, equal to year's worth of rainfall
Torrential rain left much of the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca under water. © Pablo Presti
Eight hours of nonstop rain left the city of 350,000 people largely underwater, and forced authorities to evacuate the Jose Penna hospital.
Television images showed medical personnel evacuating babies from the hospital's neonatal unit, and the army was deployed to assist in rescue efforts.
Some 1,321 people were evacuated to safety in the city, which is about 600 kilometers (about 375 miles) south of the capital Buenos Aires, according to Mayor Federico Susbielles' office. The national government authorised emergency aid of 10 billion pesos (about 9.2 million dollars).
The city received more than 400 millimeters (15 inches) of rain in just hours -- equivalent to what it normally gets in a year, "something unprecedented," according to Javier Alonso, security minister for Buenos Aires province.
"The biggest storm in Bahia Blanca was in 1930, with 175 millimeters. This is almost three times bigger," said Alonso.
'A wall of water'
Bahia Blanca's airport was closed until further notice, and officials cut off part of the power supply to reduce the risk of electric shocks.
The provincial government said it was sending helicopters, canoes, ambulances and trucks bearing food, water and equipment to the stricken city.
The coast guard was assisting in the rescue with inflatable boats.
"It was raining, and suddenly we saw the street was flooded. About a meter-and-a-half of water came into my house," Flavia Viera Romero, who rescued her children from the deluge, told the LN+ channel.
The city remains on alert from the meteorological service for new storms.
Flood waters reached the wards of the Jose Penna intensive care hospital, one of the main hospitals in Bahia Blanca, forcing the emergency evacuation of patients and staff.
Images on television news and social media showed nurses and doctors with sick babies in their arms fleeing the hospital.
"It was raining and suddenly we saw water in the street. A wall of water about a meter-and-a-half high entered my house," householder Flavia Viera Romero told the LN+ channel.
"We are with my family, we took refuge in the truck," she said.
The streets of Bahia Blanca slope towards the sea, and tidal waters increased the current of the flood, sweeping away vehicles and debris from wrecked homes.
Bahia Blanca has a sad history of climate catastrophes: in December 2023, a windstorm left 13 dead, collapsed homes and caused extensive damage to the city.
AFP
Australia: Fresh flood warnings, more rain forecast as Queensland's record drenching cuts off towns - 2 METERS of rain since January - double the annual median for region
Residents of a small town still recovering from major flooding just weeks ago have been urged to move to higher ground as fresh warnings flash across parts of rain-drenched north Queensland. The Bureau of Meteorology told residents in Giru, south...
www.sott.net
Australia: Fresh flood warnings, more rain forecast as Queensland's record drenching cuts off towns - 2 METERS of rain since January - double the annual median for region
© Meg Ruteledge Large areas of the Quilpie shire are cut off by flood water
Residents of a small town still recovering from major flooding just weeks ago have been urged to move to higher ground as fresh warnings flash across parts of rain-drenched north Queensland.
The Bureau of Meteorology told residents in Giru, south of Townsville, to expect major flooding in the Haughton River on Wednesday evening.
"Moderate to heavy rainfall ... has caused renewed river and creek level rises across the Haughton River catchment. Major flooding is expected at Giru from early Wednesday evening," the BOM said.
"The Haughton River at Giru is expected to exceed the major flood level (2.50 m) early Wednesday evening. The river level may reach around 2.80 metres overnight Wednesday into Thursday, with major flooding.
"Further rises are possible with forecast rainfall."
The town was hit hard in last month's floods.
The latest alert comes as rain records tumble in outback and north Queensland, leaving roads closed and inland residents stranded.
There was flooding on Tuesday in the Quilpie shire, the Channel Country recording its wettest March day in 15 years with 130 millimetres by 9am and several towns were cut off.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the heavy rain could hit south-east Queensland on the weekend, but it is too soon to be certain.
The BOM is monitoring several flood watches and warnings throughout Queensland, including a major flood warning for the Bulloo River and Georgina River.
The risk of severe thunderstorms in the central west has eased but a broader weather warning remains in place.
Quilpie hard hit
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding is in place for people in Queensland's north and central west as well as the Channel Country, the Maranoa and Warrego and a small area of the Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders.
The BOM is forecasting six-hourly rainfall totals of 30 to 60 millimetres and isolated falls of up to 120 millimetres, which follows record-breaking rain on Tuesday.
Forecaster Angus Hines said Quilpie, 470 kilometres west of Roma, was being inundated.
"We certainly have seen a lot of rain there and that's led to significant flooding around Quilpie and many other parts of central and Western Queensland," he said.
"We see a potential for quite a lot more rainfall, in similar areas, not just today but for the next couple of days ... maybe more than 150 millimetres in a few locations."
Within the severe weather warning area heavy falls were observed on Wednesday morning.
Stonehenge recorded 120mm of rain in the six hours to 1:50am and 95mm fell at Winton in the six hours to 3:30am.
Towns cut off
Quilpie Mayor Ben Hall said the amount of rain in recent days was unexpected and that the towns of Eromanga, Adavale and Quilpie were waterlogged.
"Ironically, Eromanga - renowned as Australia's furthest town from the sea - is currently an island," he said.
He said there was no weather radar between Alice Springs and Charleville and called for more investment.
"Our rudimentary forecasting had five to six millimetres of rain to hit Sunday," Cr Hall said.
"The reality was nearly double this amount hit Sunday night.
"That was followed the next day with 100 millimetres of rain in our direct region and a catastrophic 340 millimetres in Belombre, which is more than the 2010 floods.
"No forward planning for stock movement or anything else can happen without more accurate forecasting and we're still flying in the dark."
He said devastating stock losses were likely.
Records to break
The Bruce Highway was cut north and south of Ingham at Seymour River and Helens Hill on Tuesday night.
The highway was reopened this morning.
Several roads remain closed, including the Lower Bohle bridge in Townsville and the Ingham-Halifax Road in Halifax.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Townsville residents on Tuesday evening.
As of Wednesday morning the warning has been cancelled, but some roads have been affected by flash flooding after another 115mm fell between 9am Tuesday and 9am Wednesday.
The city is on track to exceed its wettest year on record by the end of March.
The city has received more than two metres of rain since January, which is double the annual median for region.
Townsville's annual rainfall record was set at 2,400mm in 2000.
Councillor Andrew Robinson says the weather is unpredictable and urged "rain-fatigued" people to stay prepared.
"Just asking people not to become complacent," he said.
A major flood warning was issued for the Bohle River at Townsville on Wednesday morning.
Mr Hines said the city would continue to see rain for the next few days but the falls would be substantially lighter inland.
The BOM also raised the prospect of heavy rain for the south-east coast.
"There's definitely a chance that the numbers in the south-east of Queensland could pick up through the second half of the week ... with 50-to-100 millimetres of rain possible there," Mr Hines said.
"But there's still some fine tuning to be done to the forecast there — it's a pretty broad and dynamic situation."
A mixed blessing
North-west Queensland grazier and AgForce cattle board president Lloyd Hick said although the event was ongoing with stock losses unknown, the rain meant feed security for the season ahead.
"When they said this influence was coming through, it did worry me a bit through western Queensland, but so far it's been pretty good," he said.
"[But] it allows the market to settle a bit. People are not unloading [stock] early in the year when they have no control over it.
"When you have a good feed base it allows you to spread your failed cattle out throughout the year."
Cars submerged, hospital flooded during Texas torrential rainfall
More than half a foot of rainfall over South Texas swamped communities such as McAllen, where authorities warned residents to stay off the roadways until the flooding subsided.
www.foxweather.com
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – More than half a foot of rainfall over South Texas swamped communities such as McAllen on Thursday, where authorities warned residents to stay off the roadways until the flooding subsided.
Video and photos from the border town showed cars stuck in the high floodwaters and staff scrambling to help patients at a local medical center, where rain had made its way in.
"South Texas Health System McAllen is currently addressing minor flooding on the facility’s first floor following issues with a stormwater drain, which caused rainwater to spill into areas of the hospital" staff with the medical services provider posted on social media. "At the moment, incoming walk-in and ambulance patients are being temporarily diverted to other nearby hospitals. For safety reasons, visitation of patients has been temporarily suspended."
Following the heavy rainfall, a Flash Flood Emergency was issued along the Interstate 2 corridor from McAllen to Mercedes, where standing water that was measured in feet was reported.
Moisture from the Gulf is interacting with an upper-level disturbance moving in from northern Mexico, focusing heavy rain over Texas – particularly south of the Interstate 10 corridor.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate state emergency response resources ahead of increased threats of severe weather and flash flooding in large areas of the state through the weekend.
A Flood Watch has been issued in parts of Texas through Friday, March 28, 2025.
(FOX Weather)
"Texas is prepared to deploy all resources needed to support local communities in South and Southeast Texas as they prepare to respond to severe weather and flash flooding," Abbott said. "I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate rescue boats, hoist capable helicopters, search and rescue teams, and other resources to help local emergency officials respond to heavy rainfall and flash flooding."
Some forecast models indicate an additional 3-5 inches of rain could fall by Saturday, prompting NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center to issue a level 3 out of 4 risk for flash flooding across South Texas.
"And yes, this is going to be beneficial rain, but because we have a pretty significant drought going on in this part of the country, when you mix this much rain at a time with a pretty extreme drought, you can end up in a situation where flooding gets really bad in a hurry," FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari said.
A look at the rain forecast in South Texas through Saturday, March 29, 2025
WHY ‘HIGH RISK’ FLOOD DAYS NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY
By Friday and into the weekend, forecast models show increasing uncertainty in how the weather pattern will evolve.
A stronger storm system may begin to take shape across the western U.S. before moving into the Plains. If this occurs, it could bring a more widespread severe weather threat, but details remain uncertain at this time.
Texas drought making flood threat worse
Many parts of the region, including areas around Austin and San Antonio, have experienced a significant lack of rainfall since last year, resulting in drought conditions that range from unusually dry to exceptional.
Corpus Christi last reported a precipitation deficit of about 2.75 inches, while San Antonio was closer to 4 inches.
Due to the dry conditions, the ground may not be able to absorb the rainfall quickly enough, which could lead to dangerous flash flooding.
"Keep in mind when you have a drought, that ground is like concrete, and it's not going to absorb as much as we need," Sarsalari said. "But it's a good thing in the long run. We're at least starting to chip away at it."
WHICH STATES ARE MOST AT RISK FOR FLOODING?
A look at the latest U.S. drought status.
In areas that do flood, just a few inches of rushing water can knock a person off their feet and sweep a vehicle away.
In 2003, a Texas forecaster developed the "Turn Around, Don’t Drown" slogan after witnessing people venturing through the water of unknown depths in inland communities such as Austin and San Antonio.
According to the NWS, flash flooding is one of the deadliest weather-related killers in the U.S. every year, with about a hundred fatalities that are tied to sudden flooding events.
Bolivia declares emergency after floods kill over 50 - March 26, 2025
Bolivian President Luis Arce declared a national emergency on Wednesday after torrential rains and severe floods left more than 50 dead and displaced more than 100,000 across the country.
All nine of Bolivia's departmental regions have been affected by the heavy rains, with one being designated in a state of disaster and three others in a state of emergency.
Bolivia: Floods and Landslides - Feb 2024
In the last 4 weeks, the Vice Ministry of Civil Defense registered more than 73 events, quantifying 161,258 new exposed people and 84,269 affected, the latter showing a significant increase close to 57%. During this same period, 972 houses have been affected and 114 destroyed. In Bolivia, 171 municipalities are affected by the rains, of which 73 have been declared in municipal disaster and 24 in emergency. The departments of La Paz, Beni, and Chuquisaca have been declared in emergency.
Bolivian President Luis Arce declared a national emergency on Wednesday after torrential rains and severe floods left more than 50 dead and displaced more than 100,000 across the country.
All nine of Bolivia's departmental regions have been affected by the heavy rains, with one being designated in a state of disaster and three others in a state of emergency.
Bolivia: Floods and Landslides - Feb 2024
In the last 4 weeks, the Vice Ministry of Civil Defense registered more than 73 events, quantifying 161,258 new exposed people and 84,269 affected, the latter showing a significant increase close to 57%. During this same period, 972 houses have been affected and 114 destroyed. In Bolivia, 171 municipalities are affected by the rains, of which 73 have been declared in municipal disaster and 24 in emergency. The departments of La Paz, Beni, and Chuquisaca have been declared in emergency.
