Repeated downpours may inundate southern US with 10 to 20 inches of rain over next few weeks

Areas of the southern United States ravaged by abnormally frequent downpours during the beginning of August can expect encore performances into early next week.

Houston’s Intercontinental Airport recorded over 7.5 inches of rain through the first eight days of August, which is over 900 percent more than their normal precipitation typically received during that span.

Nearly 6 inches of rain poured down on Montgomery, Alabama, on Thursday evening alone. The city typically receives 3.96 inches of rain during the entire month of August.

Multiple rounds of unsettled weather will slide eastward from the southern Plains through the Deep South and into the Carolinas on a seemingly daily basis into next week.

While not every location will get hit with storms each day, the probability for this to happen will be much higher than what is typically seen in August.

During Wednesday night, a fire occurred at the main power supply for pumping stations in New Orleans, according to WWLTV.com.

"We are at risk if we have a massive rain event that comes up on us at the last minute and creates the kind of flooding we had recently," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said in a recent press conference. "The power we have available to us now will not be sufficient enough to pump the city out in the time needed."

The boundary separating dry and cool air to the north from warm and humid air to the south that has been the focal point for weak storm systems to move along is forecast to remain virtually stationary into next week.

“Due to the front in the area, daily showers and thunderstorms will be more widespread than just the common hit-or-miss showers and thunderstorms more typical of summer,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.

“However, one aspect of the persistent storms common to the summer months is that they will still occur mainly during the afternoon and early evening,” Adamson added.

The slow-moving, drenching thunderstorms will threaten to ruin outdoor plans, force cancellations of sporting events and chase beach-goers back indoors.

More importantly, any storm can create a rapid reduction in roadway visibility in a matter of seconds and increase the risk for vehicles hydroplaning as roadways rapidly turn slick and wet.

Ponding of water can occur on large stretches of interstates 10, 20, 26, 30, 55, 65, 85 and 95, leading to major travel delays.

Blinding downpours will also threaten to ground and/or delay flights over a large network of the nation’s largest airports, such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

If any particularly intense storm sits over a certain location for an extended amount of time, more rain can fall in just a few hours than what typically occurs in an entire month.

Although there may be a decline in the coverage of daily thunderstorms for a day or two, likely into Saturday, thunderstorms will ramp up again across the Southeast by early next week.

Areas hit repeatedly by the most intense storms may receive 10 to as much as 20 inches of rainfall during the balance of August.

The excessive amounts of rain expected could prevent water from receding in flooded neighborhoods, hampering cleanup efforts for residents trying to recover from home and property damage.

The system that attempted to brew just east of Florida has lost its chance to develop. However, it will continue to cause squalls near the southern Atlantic coast into Saturday.

Tourists and residents alike should also monitor the track and future intensity of a batch of thunderstorms, dubbed 99L, currently over the central Atlantic.

"99L could develop into a tropical depression or storm near the Bahamas this weekend," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "If this happens, then the storm may approach U.S. Atlantic coastal waters with building seas, rough surf and possible heavy rain early next week."

Even if the tropical system remains off the coast, it may indirectly enhance rainfall and increase risk of flooding along the southern Atlantic seaboard.

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