More heavy rains soak portions of the Lower RGV, Sept 14-15 2008

Rain continues to add up across the Valley

Another round of showers and thunderstorms produced moderate to high amounts of rainfall across the Lower Rio Grande Valley September 14^th through 15^th. This brief but heavy rainfall event had an interesting twist to its production. An early season cold front moved unusally far south for mid September, and interacted with abundant tropical moisture, leading to the heavy rains. Some instances of minor flooding were reported in at least one location in southern Starr County. The deep tropical moisture that hung over the Valley was left in part with the tail of Hurricane Ike. While the trigger for the thunderstorms was the leading edge of the cold front, a moderately strong jet stream aided in increasing instability during the night of the 14^th on into the 15^th, producing another band of torrential rains and possible flooding in southeastern Hidalgo County. Not until this jet stream exited to the northeast did the heavy rain cease. The rain totals of this event continue to add to the surplus of rain that the Valley has received since early July.