Updated

Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 13

Storms Threaten Texas and South With 5-8 Inches of Rain as Flood Risk Rises to Level 3

Updated

Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 13

Storms Threaten Texas and South With 5-8 Inches of Rain as Flood Risk Rises to Level 3

Q: Beyond the strange rain, what invisible health threat is the Saharan dust bringing to Central Texas this week?

The bigger invisible threat is degraded air quality from fine Saharan dust particles, which can trigger breathing problems and allergy symptoms across Central Texas. Forecasters say the dust plume arriving Monday will raise particulate pollution levels, potentially enough to make conditions “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Those most at risk include people with asthma, chronic bronchitis, other lung disease, allergies, and some heart conditions. Even healthy people can notice irritation in the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs when dust concentrations are high. The concern is not just the visible haze. The smallest particles can stay suspended in the air and be inhaled deep into the respiratory system, worsening coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and sinus or allergy flare-ups. Air quality alerts are possible early in the week as the plume settles over the region. The dust may also slightly warm the lower atmosphere by absorbing sunlight and limiting nighttime cooling, which can add stress for people already sensitive to heat and poor air quality. Combined with rain, the dust can leave a reddish-brown residue known as “blood rain,” but the more important public-health issue is the pollution in the air before it gets washed out. Residents with respiratory or allergy issues should monitor local air-quality updates, limit strenuous outdoor activity if conditions worsen, and consider masks if they must be outside for extended periods.

3 articles · Updated · Fox Weather · Jul 13

5 to 8 inches of rain could hit West and Southwest Texas by midweek, with the highest flash-flood danger centered on the Big Bend and Hill Country.
A cold front sagging into warm Gulf moisture is expected to fuel repeated thunderstorms through Friday, while 1 to 3 inches of rain spreads from the Gulf Coast into Central Texas by Tuesday.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center placed a Level 2 flood risk from western North Carolina to Texas on Monday, then raised parts of the Big Bend west and north of San Antonio to Level 3 later in the week.
Guadalupe River communities remain especially vulnerable after July 4 flooding there killed 135 people, and the new threat follows Missouri flash floods that dropped 9 to 12 inches and prompted a Flash Flood Emergency.