UPDATE: As of 9:30 a.m. Sunday, the Harris County Flood Control District issued this update:
Area bayous and creeks are draining, and the following conditions were reported in the most heavily affected watersheds:
• South Mayde Creek remains out of banks at Greenhouse Road (just north of Interstate 10 near Katy) but should be back within its banks by late morning. This is likely resulting in flooding of nearby streets and sections of Cullen Park.
• Keegans Bayou is back within its banks (southwest Houston near Sugarland).
• Brays Bayou is back within its banks.
• Clear Creek continues to rise as water from tributaries drains into the main channel, but the creek is within its banks and should remain so with water beginning to recede early this afternoon.
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The rains finally came.
While Houston has been in drought mode most of the year, the area was peppered with heavy rains on Saturday. The Harris County Flood Control District reports that from 3 to 7 inches of rain fell in sections of west and southwest Harris County within a matter of hours. Parts of Brazoria County also were hard hit.
Flood Control District officials noted that as of 9:15 p.m. Saturday the following bayous and creeks were at capacity or overflowing:
• South Mayde Creek out of bank at Greenhouse Road (just north of Interstate 10 near Katy)
• Keegans Bayou near bankfull at U.S. 59 (southwest Houston near Sugar Land)
• Brays Bayou out of bank at Lawndale Street, and near bankfull from Gessner Road to West Loop 610
A Flood Control District map of rainfall levels indicates that the Sugar Land/Missouri City appeared to be the hardest hit with nearly 8 inches of rain reported late Saturday night.
The intense, heavy rainfall caused widespread street flooding. CultureMap contributing photographer Michelle Watson took these photos of Braes Bayou at Chimney Rock within a couple of hours Saturday night. She said that cars were abandoned in the middle of the street and on medians in the area.
While six inches of rain fell on Hobby Airport, only a quarter of an inch fell on Bush Intercontinental Airport.
KHOU reports that the National Weather Service has extended a flood warning until 7:42 a.m. Sunday for Harris County. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is also in effect until 1 a.m. on Sunday for the following counties: Austin, Brazoria, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Jackson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, Waller, Washington and Wharton.
The storms forced cancellation of the March of Dimes March for Babies at the University of Houston Sunday morning and evacuation of 30 patients at Kindred Hospital East Houston East in Channelview to other hospitals after power went out about 1:30 a.m. Sunday and backup generators failed to operate.
However, those living in north and northwest Houston received far less rain. While six inches of rain fell on Hobby Airport, only a quarter of an inch fell on Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Waters from Braes Bayou lap at Chimney Rock at 7 p.m. Saturday.
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Photo by Leonid Furmansky