Flash flood watch issued in Fort Bend County through Sept. 14

A flash flood watch has been issued in Fort Bend County through the evening of Sept. 14 by the National Weather Service Office of Houston/Galveston due to the approach of Tropical Storm Nicholas.

Mark Flathouse, Fort Bend County emergency management coordinator, said at a Sept. 13 press conference that rain could drop anywhere from 5 to 10 inches, but anything could happen within the next 24 to 48 hours. Flathouse advised staying home if possible, not driving at night and making sure vehicles have fuel. Flathouse said the emergency operations center was not focused on any specific area of Fort Bend County.

County Drainage Director Mark Vogler said the Brazos and San Bernard rivers are both in low stages; all channels are open; and ground conditions have been dry preceding the storm. However, flooding will depend on how much rain comes and how fast, Vogler said.

“We couldn’t be in better shape with this storm coming, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to have flooding problems,” Vogler said.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George said heavy rainfall and flash floods were the primary concerns for the county at the press conference.

“If you remember Tropical Storm Alison in 2002, it was just a tropical storm, but it created the maximum damage to our area. We hope that is not the case this time, but we want to be prepared,” George said.

According to the NWS, the storm is likely to make landfall at Matagorda Bay on the afternoon of Sept. 13. Flooding is likely in the majority of Fort Bend County through the morning of Sept. 15, according to the NWS.