Heavy rain continues to plague Louisiana, Texas and southern Mississippi today, causing street, small stream and widespread flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service. Torrential rain, as much as two inches an hour, hit south central Louisiana on January 5, especially in the Lafayette Parish area. As many as 40 homes in that parish experienced some flooding from the heavy runoff as well as from the swollen Vermilion River. While Even the Vermilion River is now falling, a flood warning remains in effect for that river and additional rises are possible today.
Flood warnings are also in effect for the Pearl River.
In the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish, pumping stations worked through the day yesterday, clearing streets of as much as 7.5 inches of rain. Flash flood watches are in effect for all of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley through January 7. Widespread flooding, with some road closures, is also being reported from Arkansas, especially Sebastian County, and from Le Flore County, Oklahoma. In Texas, widespread street flooding has been accompanied by severe weather, including large hail, wind gusts of more than 60 mph and several possible tornadoes. Aside from one unconfirmed death reported from Texas yesterday, no injuries or critical situations have been reported from this event.