Tropical depression Imelda brings rain, cooler temps to area

The exterior rotation of Tropical Depression Imelda has resulted in rain, cooler temperatures in El Dorado through Friday.
The exterior rotation of Tropical Depression Imelda has resulted in rain, cooler temperatures in El Dorado through Friday.

As tropical depression Imelda drops dozens of inches of rain across southeast Texas, its circulation is bringing rain and temporary cooler temperatures up the Texas/Arkansas border and through northern Louisiana into Union County.

Travis Shelton, a forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Little Rock office, said El Dorado should expect rain through Friday evening, although any thunderstorms should wrap up Thursday night.

“It looks like it’s going to continue to make its way north through the east part of Texas and bring a lot of gulf moisture into our area,” he said. “Showers and thunderstorms for today and tonight, a little bit less severe tomorrow with a 60-70 percent chance [of rain].”

El Dorado will see sustained winds at 10 miles per hour on Friday, with gusts up to 20 miles per hour through Friday.

“Imelda is moving northwest at six miles per hour right now,” Shelton said. “We’re seeing circulation bring it up through Louisiana into El Dorado.”

Total rainfall is expected to be between a quarter and half-an-inch, and with the rain and cloud cover on Friday the high should be around 81 degrees, Shelton said.

There’s potential for another cold front starting Monday that will bring its own chance of rain, but since that’s several days away, Shelton said there’s less confidence in that potential.

Union County will receive just a small taste of what south Texas are experiencing. Imelda has caused severe flooding and storm damage in Texas as it moves throughout the southeast. Areas of Liberty County saw as much as 26 inches of rain and I-10 from Houston to Beaumont was impassable due to severe flooding.

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