Highways, Schools, METRO closed Tuesday

HOUSTON – A massive rainstorm inundated the city and surrounding counties to the west, dropping as much as 11 inches of rain on West Houston in 8 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
The storm started Monday evening, Memorial Day, and caught many drivers by surprise. Freeways were quickly flooded and impassable due to the heavy rainfall in such a short time.
Other areas had similar inundation: North Houston had over 4 inches, and Channelview and East Harris County had 7+ inches in that short time.
Harris County Office of Emergency Management issued a Level 1 alert, the first time it has been this high since Hurricane Ike in 2008. This level indicates a threat to life.
The amount of rain that fell is close to the 50 year storm, and has been compared to the devastating flood Allison in 2004.
Flash Flood warnings were issued for Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria, Jackson, Matagorda, and Wharton counties all Monday evening and Tuesday morning, as the rains continued.
Besides highways and city streets that were impassable, a number of homes throughout the western and northern areas of the city reported water inside their houses.