(CNN) — A new wave of storms is inundating the flooded South, bringing another threat of damaging winds, tornadoes and flash flooding, including in parts of Texas where hundreds of people were killed in torrential downpours earlier this month. rescued.
The Gulf Coast from eastern Texas to Mississippi has already received 3 to 6 inches of rain, with more heavy rain expected throughout the day as the storm moves up the coast and across Texas.
More than 9 million people are under flood watches across a vast region from central Texas to southeast Georgia, including rainy areas north of Houston. Metropolitan hubs include New Orleans and Shreveport, Louisiana; Mobile, Alabama; and Tallahassee, Florida, where flooding is possible.
And it's not just rain. The storm also delivered a devastating blow: Hurricane-force wind gusts of up to 80 mph were reported in the Florida Panhandle on Monday morning.
“Tonight, severe thunderstorms are expected from south-central and southeastern Texas through southern Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. Multiple corridors of strong wind gusts, very large hail, and some tornadoes are possible. The Storm Prediction Center issued a warning.
The southern region has been hit by multiple rounds of rain and severe thunderstorms over the past week. Severe storms moved across Texas and into Louisiana on Sunday, bringing hail the size of tennis balls and prompting the National Weather Service to issue tornado warnings and flash flood warnings.
In Tallahassee, officials warned residents to “pay attention to weather conditions over the next few days.” The city in Florida's capital is still recovering from Friday's deadly tornado and 100 mph winds. Leon County officials in Tallahassee said nearly 20% of the county remained without power after the storm snapped hundreds of power poles and destroyed countless trees and wires Monday morning.
Strong winds and hail up to 4 inches in diameter Monday As the storm advances toward the Gulf Coast, another wall of severe storms begins to strengthen over eastern Texas and Louisiana, and a small number of tornadoes are expected.
The heaviest downpours are expected from southeastern Louisiana to western Florida. Rainfall amounts of up to 3 inches per hour are possible in the area, and combined with Sunday's storms, total rainfall could be as high as 8 inches.
Parts of the Southeast have been battered by relentlessly violent storms over the past two weeks, bringing damaging winds, hail, dangerous tornadoes and flooding to the region.
River levels in eastern Texas and Louisiana remain high due to rain a week ago, including the Trinity River northeast of Houston, which remains in severe flood stage. Several other rivers in the two states are at moderate flood stage.
The threat will shift further southeast on Tuesday, with most of the storm expected from the Florida Panhandle to the Carolinas.
Texas hit by severe weather
The severe storm hitting Texas is just the latest in a series of severe weather events plaguing the state since early April.
Dozens of tornadoes destroyed homes and businesses last month from the Texas Panhandle to the Gulf Coast. Some parts of the state were also hit by hailstones the size of softballs, and months of rain inundated eastern Texas, causing river levels to rise to levels not seen since Hurricane Harvey's devastating flooding in 2017.
In early May, more than 200 people were rescued from homes and vehicles in Harris County, Texas, after heavy downpours caused rivers to swell and roads to be submerged. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told CNN that many people had to leave their livestock in distress and more than 150 pets were rescued during the storm.
Just days ago, some communities north of Houston were hit by nearly two months of rain, leading to evacuations and water rescues.
The incessant rains have left the area particularly vulnerable to flash flooding as rivers have risen and the soil has little capacity to absorb more water.
CNN’s Melissa Alonso contributed to this report.
