Rafael-fueled front brings life-threatening flash flooding risk to Louisiana
A storm system that brought historic snowfall to the Rockies and flooding rains to the Plains over the past few days drifted east into the lower Mississippi Valley, tapping into an extensive plume of moisture moving north out of the Gulf of Mexico that includes Tropical Storm Rafael.
Flash flood threat continues across Louisiana due to moisture from Tropical Storm Rafael in Gulf
Torrential rain led to numerous reports of flash flooding in Louisiana over the weekend due to copious amounts of moisture being funneled into the region from Tropical Storm Rafael spinning in the Gulf of Mexico.
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Tropical Storm Rafael may be swirling in open waters hundreds of miles away from the U.S. Gulf Coast, but moisture from the late-season storm triggered a dangerous flash flood threat across parts of the South over the weekend, including Louisiana.
A storm system that brought historic snowfall to the Rockies and flooding rains to the Plains over the past few days drifted east into the lower Mississippi Valley, tapping into an extensive plume of moisture moving north out of the Gulf of Mexico that includes Tropical Storm Rafael.
MAJOR NOVEMBER SNOWSTORM STRIKES ROCKIES, CAUSING TRAVEL CHAOS
Some storms were expected to possibly dump 2.5 inches of rain per hour, with storm totals reaching 8-10 inches in the heart of the state. Torrential rain continues to fall on Sunday morning, extending the threat of flooding.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center had placed a swath of central Louisiana, including Lake Charles and Oakdale, in a Level 4 risk of flash flooding – the highest rung on the scale, on Saturday. That risk has since dwindled, with portions of central Louisiana in a Level 2 threat on Sunday.
Flood Watches covered much of the area through the weekend. Portions of central Louisiana have received more than triple their average rainfall over the past week, and thus, soils are already saturated, increasing the flooding threat.
The city of Alexandria picked up 4.4 inches of rain on Saturday, which is now its second-wettest November day on record. The wettest November day occurred on Nov. 5, 1948, when the city picked up 6.08 inches of rain.
Impressive rainfall totals were also reported in other parts of Louisiana over the weekend.
Elizabeth picked up more than 9 inches of rain on Saturday, while Ball and Deville both received more than 8 inches of rain.
While the heaviest rains focused on Louisiana, soaking storms stretched some 1,000 miles along the front from Texas into the Ohio Valley, posing an isolated risk of flash flooding.
"So, it's not just folks in Natchitoches or the Louisiana coastline," FOX Weather Meteorologist Kendall Smith said. "It's all the way up into places like Lexington, Nashville, even St. Louis."
The rain will continue to slowly take its way through the Southeast and Midwest on Sunday and Monday. But the FOX Forecast Center said reduced atmospheric moisture should lower the risk of flash flooding.