“If we saw a thunderstorm of higher than 1 inch of rainfall in a short period of time, we would go into advisory mode,” Joe Harris, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, said. “Since this event will continue for several days, there is a potential that a flash floods could develop.”
Saturated ground in Bell County is compounding the probability of flooding, according to the National Weather Service. By June, he said, Temple has received about the amount the city averages in a year, 35.18 inches.
“That’s a significant amount of rainfall in the area,” Harris said.
Harris said he expects storms to continue over the next five to six days as the system stays in a holding pattern over parts of Texas.
On Monday, Harris said Killeen had already seen some rain, but more rain was in the forecast because of a slow-moving system.
Local fire departments and emergency personnel are preparing for the worst as they keep an eye on the storms.
“We are going to monitor the weather this week and we will take the appropriate action necessary,” Thomas Pechal, Temple Fire and Rescue spokesman, said.
One of those actions he said is to keep residents from driving through water in low-lying areas and keeping kids away from creeks and drainage culverts.
“The river system across the region has been filled up in the past several weeks,” Harris said. “This will compound the [flooding] problems.”
Local officials are advising people to avoid driving through water and be prepared to stay inside.
“Six inches of water can knock an adult off their feet,” Pechal said. “Only 2 feet of water can take a pickup truck or SUV. Most people don’t realize the power and force of water.”
Chad Berg, the emergency management coordinator for Killeen, said getting swept away while driving in standing water was the number one cause of death and injury during floods.
The city of Harker Heights participates in a First Call Program, where residents in certain areas of the town are alerted on their home phones to the possibility of flooding.
“We have some swift-water rescue gear if we need them,” Jake Collier, the fire chief for Harker Heights, said. “We have utilized [the gear] too many times this season and hope not to utilize it again.”
Collier said the city of Harker Heights is prepared to make rescues and block off problem roads and streets. He looks to greener pastures as he doesn’t see a significant fire hazard with fireworks for the Fourth of July and lakes being filled this year.
Capt. Brian Campbell of the Belton Fire Department said the department is prepared with barricades loaded in trucks and ready to go when rains hit.
“We know some rains are coming, anything that we get will cause flooding,” Campbell said.Berg advises residents to find alternative places to go in case of flooding and make provisions now. He urges locals to invest in an emergency preparedness kit.
“First responders are paying attention to the weather,” Berg said. “We are doing everything we can to get the word out to turn around, don’t drown.”
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for Denton Creek near the North Texas town Justin, would reach a crest of 14 feet by midnight before receding. The creek’s flood stage is 10 feet.
There was some street flooding in Cooke County near the north Texas town of Valley View prior to storms that are expected later Monday night, according to Ray Fletcher, the county emergency management coordinator.
The state’s emergency operations center reports with sustained rainfall over the last month have left the ground saturated, leaving parts of North, Central and East Texas prone to flash flooding.
Gov. Rick Perry ordered search and rescue teams to be at a high state of readiness with the ability to provide rapid response according to the state emergency situation report. Rescue personnel under Perry’s directive includes two helicopters and 50 other state vehicles.
The severe weather shows no signs of letting up, with a 90 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms in some parts of Texas on Tuesday according to the National Weather Service.
Harris said until high pressure builds up in the region for summer, which can been as early as June and as late as August, storms will continue to develop.
“I do not see an extreme drought developing,” Harris said.
- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ccarlisle@temple-telegram.com
