WEEKEND NEWS LINKS:

Rising Waters Met By Neighbors Helping Neighbors

(Eric Berger, Houston Chronicle)
Yet another day of widespread rainfall across the Houston area produced the city’s most significant flooding in more than two years, prompting rescues from flooded homes and vehicles. The worst flooding was northwest of Houston, where more than 15 inches of rain have fallen during the last five days, driving Cypress Creek well above its flood stage and even higher than during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.

“It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” said Francisco Sanchez, a Harris County spokesman, as Cypress Creek was still rising Friday afternoon.

All told, Sanchez said, the county has had reports of nearly 100 homes being flooded, but officials have a difficult time getting into all the neighborhoods to confirm the reports.

Late Friday afternoon, Dennis Fulkert still had about 13 inches of water inside his home in the Windwood subdivision in Cypress. But he was taking it in stride.

“I didn’t drown, so that’s good,” Fulkert said. “There’s just nothing you can do.”

The worst may be over for the region when it comes to heavy rainfall, but forecasters with the Houston/Galveston office of the National Weather Service stressed that the atmospheric dynamics driving this week’s storms remain in place.

That’s because the upper-level low pressure system that has been the trigger for thunderstorms is not moving out of the area as rapidly as anticipated.

…If heavy rains do develop, severe flooding is possible as the region’s soils are saturated and many of its bayous are already at high levels.
(See the full story & pictures at Houston Chronicle)

RELATED STORIES:
Flooding Forces Residents Out of Homes (KPRC 2 News)
Firefighters Rescue Families from Cypress Creek Area (KHOU 11 News)
Good Samaritan Saves Woman in Flooded SUV  (KTRK 13 News)
Samaritan Tow Truck Driver Pulls Stranded Man to Safety (KHOU 11 News)
Red Cross Flood Shelters Close, Prepare to Re-Open if Necessary (KHOU 11 News)

OTHER HEADLINES: