North Texas Braces for Heavy Rain and Flooding Ahead of Thanksgiving

DALLAS, Texas — The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for regions along and north of Interstate 20, set to last from 6 p.m. Sunday through Monday evening. This marks the second flood watch for the area this week.

The advisory comes as a new storm system approaches North Texas, following a previous Pacific storm. Forecasters warn of heavy rainfall expected to peak during Monday morning’s commute. Areas under the flood watch may receive between 1 and 2 inches of rain in the next 24 to 36 hours, with isolated locations possibly seeing 3 to 4 inches.

The heaviest rainfall is predicted near I-20 and north and east of the highway. Earlier in the week, significant moisture from another storm resulted in rainfall of 4 to 6 inches across various locations within a 24 to 36 hour period. Showers and storms are expected to begin on Sunday afternoon, lasting into the evening.

Forecasters anticipate that widespread rain and thunderstorms will hold off until late Sunday night. As the storm system progresses east on Monday, it may interact with unstable air and an incoming boundary, resulting in a slight risk of strong to severe storms, especially to the south and east.

After the storms, conditions are expected to clear by Tuesday afternoon, with temperatures rising into the 70s. A strong cold front will then bring cooler and drier air just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

In related weather updates, over an inch and a half of rain fell in the early hours of Sunday. A flash flood warning was issued for parts of the metro area, including western Collin, northern Dallas, southeastern Denton, and Tarrant counties. Most areas in North and Central Texas are included in the flood watch until 6 a.m. Friday.

Rain began falling around 2 a.m. Thursday, totaling 1.66 inches at the airport, setting a new daily precipitation record. Officials warn that additional heavy rain may affect travel plans as Thanksgiving approaches, with high chances of rain persisting into next week.