Flash Flood in Hardin County, Texas

The first reports of flooding was received from Silsbee's Fire Department. Water was entering 2 homes and major street flooding was beginning. During the event numerous roadways and structures in the county became flooded. River and bayou flooding also lasted for several days especially along Pine Island Bayou. Rain totals were between 10 and 40 inches, with the highest amounts along the extreme southern part of the county. Between 50 and a 100 homes were flooded, mainly between Sour Lake and Pinewood Estates.

Imelda moved inland southwest of Galveston, Texas as a minimal tropical storm then meandered over Southeast Texas over the next couple days while weakening. Heavy rain remained over deep Southeast Texas including the Beaumont-Port Arthur area for over a day producing a storm total of 44.29 inches at a station near Fannet. The same station received over 30 inches in 12 hours which produced widespread flooding across Jefferson County. This high amount of rainfall ranks Imelda as the 4th wettest tropical cyclone to affect the lower 48 states.