Modern Day Deluge
Andrae Jackson
Meteorology (GEOL1447- IN) July 22, 2017
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Introduction
During April of 2016, Houston Texas had experienced torrential rains outside of its
normal amount. The southern city is known for its numerous bayous along with two major
reservoirs. Such mechanisms are required considering the amount of rain Houston receives. Four
to six times a year, the Houston area receives heavy flood-like rainfall according to the NOAA
(The Weather Channel, par. 4). With an area equivalent to the size of Rhode Island, that
translates into a lot of rain. However, there are rare occurrences when there is too much rain even
for Houston to handle. The storm-prone city has suffered many floods dating back from the
1930’s. In such an event, the aftermath is always a misfortunate. Focusing on one flood, we will
look at the weather that led to the heavy rain, where it left its mark on history, the effects it
caused, and flood prevention.
Discussion
The weather leading up to the April 18, 2016 flood is most likely from a remnant of a
tropical cyclone or thunderstorm clusters that tend to slow and stall near the Gulf (par. 7). The
Gulf of Mexico has always been an area to foster storms. With the lack of cold fronts and waters
temperatures above normal (eighty degrees), and air ascending more frequently, strongly
encourages the production of thunderstorms. Victor Gensini, a professor of meteorology at the
College of DuPage believes the temperature of the waters are only one component of the puzzle.
When you have elevated and contrasting air masses mixing in high altitudes, interacting with the
Gulf’s warm moist air, instability occurs, leading to serious thunderstorms (The Washington
Post, par. 16). Research has found that when the Gulf of Mexico is warmer than normal, there is
more energy for severe storms and tornadoes to form versus when the Gulf is cooler. Those who
have been residents in the Houston area for a while will bear witness to how strong these
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thunderstorms can be. Studies also show temperatures were higher than normal. With warmer
weather, there is a chance of more moisture in the air which can lead to more storms. Many
believe this trend to be an effect of global warming (The Slatest). Furthermore, prior to the flood,
according to The Slatest, “The National Weather Service had been warning of the potential for
very heavy rainfall in southeast Texas since at least last Tuesday, as a continental-scale blocking
pattern—in which an unusually stable jet stream locks weather system in place—made
conditions favorable for a stalled weather front to unload copious amounts of tropical moisture”
(par. 6). From the ongoing effects of climate change, it does not seem these storms will be
disappearing anytime soon.
The storm on April 18 was near to record breaking. In 2015, the Memorial Day flood was
of similar magnitude, just targeting different areas of Harris County. The Memorial Day flood
