When NOAA says ‘torrential’

I’ve used the word before with regards to our recent and ongoing deluges, the near constant flooding rains we’ve had for more than two months (and that technically started in March).  But what happens when NOAA finally uses the word?  From today’s updated flash flood watch:

THE COMBINATION OF A SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL LOW…WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARIES…AND RICH GULF MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN PERIODS OF HEAVY TO LOCALLY TORRENTIAL RAINFALL THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SOILS ACROSS THE REGION REMAIN HIGHLY SATURATED…THUS ANY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL QUICKLY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING.

To be honest, I find it amusing more than anything else.

As for the truth of the matter, a relatively small thunderstorm yesterday dumped about an inch of rain in Dallas County, and that forced the closure of many streets in the northern part of the area as the ground simply can’t absorb more water at the moment, so any rain—even light rain—causes runoff that is then rejected by swollen and flooded creeks, lakes, and rivers.  To be more precise, there’s just no place for the water to go, hence we get flooding at the drop of a hat.

Today’s forecast appears to portend a rather ugly situation with widespread gullywashers visiting an area that has no way to handle more precipitation, especially heavy and long lasting downpours.

Independence Day now looks ready to be a washout as well.  If that happens, it’ll be the first time I can remember when July 4 was celebrated with floods rather than hot, humid weather and fireworks.  So we shall see. . .

[Update] Because I’m not just being an alarmist…again from NOAA: “AT 443 PM CDT…TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER NORTH CENTRAL TARRANT COUNTY..EXTENDING EAST INTO WESTERN DALLAS COUNTY. WATER RESCUES ARE IN PROGRESS. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. TRAFFIC IS BEING INTERRUPTED AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION…USE UTMOST CAUTION.”

We remain under a flash flood warning and a general flood warning, not to mention several other statements regarding this ongoing and disruptive weather pattern.

I promise I’ll try to offer you something more tomorrow, something other than this tedious expounding on Texas’ call for Noah’s Ark.

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