RECORD DAILY MAXIMUM RAINFALL SET AT GALVESTON

A RECORD RAINFALL OF 5.14 INCHES WAS SET AT GALVESTON YESTERDAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 3.12 SET IN 1905.

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Rain: It’s what’s for dinner

By Nathan Smith
The Daily News

Published June 26, 2004

GALVESTON — Waterlogged Galveston residents eager for an end to the heavy rains that have drenched the area may have to wait nearly a week for a respite, said officials Friday.

“Our first real break in the weather, if the computer models are right, should be Wednesday or Thursday of next week,” said Bill Read, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service’s League City office. “We have high hopes that the weather will be back to a summertime pattern for the Fourth of July weekend.”

Another week of showers is not what many county residents want to hear. Most of Galveston County had absorbed between one and two inches of rainfall by Friday, with Galveston Island being hardest hit with between four and six inches of rain in the last 24 hours, flooding numerous city streets and collapsing the roof of The Home Depot.

“Broadway Boulevard and Harborside Drive were both flooded, as were a lot of side streets off of Broadway,” said Elliot Jennings, Galveston’s emergency management coordinator. “Strand-area streets were also flooded, but we’ve had no reports of any water getting into businesses.”

Keeping streets passable has been the city’s main concern heading into the weekend, a daunting task in light of the dreary weather forecast.

“We’ve had crews out all day, helping to make sure that storm drains remain unclogged,” said Jennings. “That’s something the public can help with, too, by minimizing litter, lawn clippings, tree branches and other things that can get swept into storm sewers.”

The public should be primarily concerned, however, with simply staying away from flooded areas, he said. People walking or playing in flooded streets or fields could catch a disease from contaminated water or be swept into a storm sewer.

“We also want to emphasize to people to avoid driving in flooded streets,” said Jennings. “That can not only damage your vehicle, but could create problems for homeowners by creating a wake that could enter a house or strike the home, causing damage.”

Avoiding floodwaters in the county might get more difficult before it gets easier, however.

“We’ve got an upper-level, broad-area low pressure system stuck right over Texas,” said Read. “Moisture levels in the air are pretty close to tropical right now. Until that system moves out of the way, we’re going to repeat this (cycle of rainfall) in a different area probably every day.”

Though most of Galveston County between League City and Crystal Beach has faced little threat of floods, the constant showers may begin to put areas of the county near bodies of water at risk, Read said.

“Friendswood down to Clear Lake near the creek is in the most danger of flooding,” said Read. “Heavy rains could push it out of its banks enough to get into houses. Homes near ****inson Bayou might be faced with the same problem; it’s a concern if we line up a few thunderstorms because the ground is so saturated.”

Jennings said Friday that although the chances of dangerous flooding were slim, city and county officials would closely monitor the weather in coming days and keep the public apprised of the situation.

“It would take a really significant rain event to cause serious islandwide flooding, but we’re keeping an eye on tonight’s rains,” he said. “The biggest flooding threat we’ll face Saturday will be between 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.”

Read advised residents to stay tuned to the local media for updates on dangerous weather conditions and check for online weather service updates at http://www.srh.noah.gov/hgx.

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Flooding Hides Strand Trolley Construction

GALVESTON — City consultants issued an advisory Friday warning drivers to take precaution while cruising The Strand between 14th and 20th streets, stating that flooding has hidden a construction trench in the middle of the street.

The nine-foot wide, 24-inch deep trench is a portion of the street being excavated for the installation of new rail tracks as part of the federally funded Galveston rail trolley extension project to the University of Texas Medical Branch. The city has made efforts including the placement of orange cones, sandbagged barricades, signs, and in some areas, flagmen to redirect traffic in an attempt to prevent drivers on The Strand from passing into the trench. Drivers have been seen ignoring the warning signs, removing the barricades and driving into the construction, resulting in damaged vehicles that needed, according to Friday’s advisory.

City representatives urged residents to avoid this area of downtown until the floodwaters subside. Anyone caught moving The Strand barricades will be subject to ticketing by the police.