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Storm Updates: Imelda Drenches Texas As Humberto Menaces Bermuda
Heavy rains are triggering flash floods in eastern Texas as Tropical Depression Imelda draws nearer — one of several large storms that forecasters are watching closely Wednesday. In the Atlantic, Bermuda is under a hurricane warning as Hurricane Humberto nears the island as a Category 3 storm.
Imelda was briefly a tropical storm after forming in the Gulf of Mexico. But despite weakening into a tropical depression Tuesday night, Imelda is still expected to bring an additional 5 to 10 inches of rainfall to Houston, Galveston and other parts of eastern Texas through Friday, with isolated totals of 20 to 25 inches possible.
Here are the preliminary rainfall totals we have observed so far from 7AM Tuesday through 7AM this morning. Most of the highest totals have been concentrated in Matagorda, Brazoria, Galveston, and Chambers counties. #txwx #houwx #glswx pic.twitter.com/gtCFqMrg4r
— NWS Houston (@NWSHouston) September 18, 2019
Imelda is bringing “heavy rains and significant flash flooding” that are expected to spread inland over the next couple of days, according to the National Weather Service. The center of the storm is currently some 65 miles north of Houston — but it’s creeping along at 5 mph, raising the chances of dangerous floods.
Flash flood watches are currently in place for southeast Texas and the far southwestern corner of Louisiana, the NWS says.
Sections of Louisiana will see 4 to 8 inches of rain, with isolated totals of up to 10 inches possible. In the Atlantic Ocean, Humberto’s core “is expected to pass just to the northwest and north of Bermuda later tonight,” the National Hurricane Center says.
The storm grew larger and more powerful Wednesday morning, with maximum sustained winds of nearly 120 mph, with higher gusts. Humberto is projecting hurricane-force winds for up to 105 miles from its center, with tropical storm-force winds extending for nearly 200 miles.
The Bermuda Weather Service is warning residents to prepare for squalls, gale-force winds and heavy rain, along with powerful thunderstorms. Humberto is moving east-northeast at nearly 16 mph, the NHC says.
Far to the east in the open Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jerry is predicted to become a hurricane Thursday night, the NHC says. Jerry would then approach the northern Leeward Islands sometime Friday — but forecasters say it’s too early to tell if any islands might face dangerous conditions. The storm’s current five-day cone predicts it will stay on a track to the north of Antigua and Barbuda.
As of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday, Jerry’s maximum sustained winds had risen to nearly 50 mph. The NHC forecast predicts its winds will remain at the Category 1 level over the next five days.
In the Pacific Ocean, the NHC is monitoring Tropical Storm Lorena — which it predicts will become a hurricane as it nears the coast of southwestern Mexico late Wednesday and overnight. Mexican authorities have issued a hurricane warning for coastal areas from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes.
The storm had 65 mph maximum sustained winds as of 11 a.m. ET.
“Lorena is forecast to cause heavy rain over portions of the Mexican states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco during the next few days,” the NHC says. “This rainfall may produce life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides.”
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