By Paul Yeager, author of Weather Whys: Facts, Myths, and Oddities
Tropical Storm Don will move into South Texas this evening, packing winds of close to 60 mph and a small one- to two-foot rise in sea levels in areas near the coast, along with wind waves in excess of 10 feet. While the wind and rough seas are a potential danger, as are isolated tornadoes, the main impact of the storm will be the delivery of much-needed rainfall to region in an exceptional drought.
The National Hurricane Center public information statement predicts that three to five inches of rain is likely in South Texas and extreme northeastern Mexico, with isolated amounts of 7 inches.
Parts of South Texas have a yearly rainfall deficit of 10 inches, the greatest deficits are in areas to the north of where the storm will track. Locally three inches of rain is expected to fall as far north as the Houston area, however, which is desperately needed.
Texas rainfall deficit map
