Massive Flood Watch Issued for Deep East Texas

A massive Flood Watch has been issued for all of Deep East Texas. This includes Angelina, Nacogdoches, and all adjacent counties.

The watch will go into effect Tuesday, May 6, at 7 a.m. and last until 7 a.m. on Wednesday. The size of the Flood Watch is massive (shaded green in the map below), encompassing portions of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and all of Louisiana.

What Can We Expect on Tuesday?

The NWS forecast has our rain chances in the Lufkin area spiking from 30% to 75% during the mid-morning hours on Tuesday. Then, by early afternoon, those chances will reach 90%.

The heaviest rainfall and largest accumulations should happen during the afternoon and early evening hours across the Pineywoods. Frequent downpours could bring between 2 to 4 inches of rain to our region, with isolated higher amounts.

What is the Excessive Rainfall Outlook, and Why Are We In Red?

This is an outlook tool that the Weather Prediction Center uses to forecast the probability that rainfall will exceed flash flood guidance (FFG) within 25 miles of a point.

For Tuesday, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, and from Tyler to Beaumont are in the red (moderate risk) area. This means there is at least a 40% chance that flooding will occur within 25 miles of your residence.

READ MORE: Check Out These Insane Rainfall Totals That Led to East Texas Flash Flooding

Some areas of Angelina County received over 5 inches of rain on Friday. The ground is already saturated, and more heavy downpours will lead to flash flooding in short order.

What About Severe Weather on Tuesday?

Strong to severe storms are also in the mix for Tuesday, especially during the afternoon hours. Much of central and all of east Texas are at risk.

The biggest severe threat from Tuesday's storms will be large hail (especially in the Austin area) and damaging straight-line winds in excess of 60 mph. A few tornadoes, especially in East Texas, are possible, as well.