Will tonight’s heavy rain cause flash flooding in Fort Worth? What the weather service says
A cold front that moved over North Texas Tuesday will lead to potential severe storms in the next couple days.
The best chance for severe storms in North Texas this week will be around 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, said Matt Bishop, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
Storms will kick off just after sunset on Wednesday and wrap-up around midnight, Bishop said. North Texans can expect mainly heavy rainfall, but there could be a few storms with hail in the mix.
In total, the NWS expects around an inch and a half to two inches of rain when storms roll through the Metroplex on Thursday.
“Somewhere in that range looks most likely, with some localized higher amounts,” Bishop said.
How much rain is needed to flood Texas streets?
As a result of the widespread rainfall, flash flooding is possible but how much rain is actually needed to flood the streets of North Texas?
Every city is different, however, it generally doesn’t take much to flood urban areas due to the amount of concrete infrastructure, Bishop said. Dry vegetation will help soak up some of the runoff, but its all about how much rain and when.
For example, if Fort Worth records two inches of constant rain in an hour, that could potentially cause flooding given the amount of rainfall in a short time.
This Star-Telegram map shows areas in Fort Worth most at risk for flooding. The city of Fort Worth identified 300 spots at risk of dangerous flash flooding. In 2020, the city estimated it would cost $1 billion to fix all of the areas.
However, the storms rolling in Wednesday will be spread out across several hours, Bishop said. If anything, the wet streets will be a welcome sight for North Texans.
“[The rain] should be enough to at least help with the ongoing drought,” Bishop said.
