Tracking the rain
WeatherMap Imelda update: The storm went easy on us last night, but we are only at halftime
Sep 18, 2019, 12:08 pm
Tracking the rain
Good morning everyone. By and large the Houston metro area made it through last night unscathed. While I know people are already starting to label this storm a bust, we are really only at halftime here. Last night the storm progressed further inland than originally expected which is what raised my concern for heavy rain last night. Thankfully that did not develop over the city and most spots ended the day yesterday with very manageable rainfall totals in the 2-4 inch range. Further south though coastal areas of Brazoria and Matagorda counties got absolutely hammered. Spots near Freeport for example picked up 15-20 inches of rain yesterday. So with the first half in the books lets take a look at where things go from here.
From the time concern really began to rise regarding this storm back on Monday the Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning period was really the period we were most worried about. This morning the center of the storm has broadened as it "unwinds" now that it is over land, however this does not mean the rainfall potential decreases. On radar we can see that the center is near The Woodlands and strong bands of storms extend well to the south along the coast and curve back up into the Beaumont area.
10 AM radarCollege of DuPage
Over the course of the day today and into tonight I expect coverage of heavy rain to move further inland as the center continues pulling off to the north. Two of the high resolution short range models we use have continued to show an intense band of storms developing along the I-10 corridor between Houston and Beaumont late this afternoon and into tonight. We will have to watch how this develops as the afternoon commute could be impacted.
One model's simulated radar Wednesday morning thru Thursday lunch time.Weathermodels.com
Another model's simulated radar for Wednesday morning thru Thursday evening.
Foretasted accumulations through Thursday evening from the model in the image above
If this band does indeed develop and parks itself over the wrong place flooding will be a concern. With these models try not to focus on pinpoint locations, rather look at the general idea that another round of heavy rain is still in the cards. While it does appear that the most likely location for for bombs of very high accumulations has shifted a bit to the east, say east of HWY 59, it is not time to let or guard down yet.
I know people are itching to say this storm amounted to nothing but hype, but it would be unwise to declare it dead yet. This area has a history of storms that bring a light first punch only to return with a knockout blow a day or two later. While I am in no way comparing the impacts of this storm to Harvey or Allison it is important to remember that both of those storms had people declaring them busts halfway through before the second round came. If by Thursday night all is well, I will personally declare Imelda a bust, but we are not there yet.
The Houston Texans have secured their lockdown corner for the future, agreeing to a three-year, $90 million extension with Derek Stingley Jr., according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal includes a staggering $89 million in guaranteed money, making Stingley one of the highest-paid defensive backs in NFL history.
Record deal: Texans All-Pro CB Derek Stingley Jr has agreed to a three-year, $90 million extension including $89 million guaranteed. At $30M base value per year, Stingley is now the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. The CB market has been completely reset.
Deal… pic.twitter.com/g8nzFFFQvj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2025
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that Stingley's extension will kick in after his fifth-year option, which the Texans picked up ahead of the extension. He's now under team control for the next five seasons.
Derek Stingley Jr.'s new deal with the #Texans includes a fifth-year option that he was slated to receive in 2026. So, he's under the #Texans' contractual control for five seasons -- two from his rookie deal, plus the three-year, $90M extension reached today.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 17, 2025
Stingley, 23, is coming off a breakout All-Pro season in which he recorded five interceptions (seven if you include the playoffs) and proved to be one of the league’s elite shutdown corners. His performance was instrumental in the Texans' defensive resurgence, solidifying his role as a cornerstone of the franchise.
The only lingering concern for Houston is Stingley’s durability. While he played all 17 regular season games in 2025, it was the first time he managed a full season in the NFL. Injuries limited him to just nine games in 2022 and 11 in 2023. The Texans are banking on his ability to stay on the field, confident that his elite talent outweighs the risks.
With this extension, Houston locks in a defensive playmaker as they continue to build a championship-caliber roster around quarterback C.J. Stroud. If Stingley stays healthy, this investment could pay massive dividends for the Texans' future.
*ChatGPT assisted.