Tropical depression Beta brings dangerous flash flooding to Texas

Tropical depression Beta, which made landfall in Texas Monday night as a tropical storm, is pounding Houston with torrential rain and flash flooding — and more rain is still expected for the city and surrounding areas.

a man that is standing in the water: Reighny Knight, reacts as she, Elijah Melendez, left, and Peyton Knight, are splashed by waves churned up by Tropical Storm Beta as it moves toward landfall, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

© Brett Coomer/AP
Reighny Knight, reacts as she, Elijah Melendez, left, and Peyton Knight, are splashed by waves churned up by Tropical Storm Beta as it moves toward landfall, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

Table of Contents

The latest

Houston is buried under 1 foot of rain as rainfall rates reach up to 2 inches per hour on Tuesday.

MORE: What to know about floodwater safety

Authorities have conducted nearly 100 water evacuations, said the Houston fire chief.

a group of people on a rainy night: Water rises from the storm surge of Tropical Storm Beta in The Strand as the storm moves toward landfall, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

© Brett Coomer/AP
Water rises from the storm surge of Tropical Storm Beta in The Strand as the storm moves toward landfall, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and the local authorities are urging people to stay home and off the roads.

Metro Houston said it’s temporarily suspending transit services due to the storm.

The forecast

Beta is crawling northeast at an incredibly slow 2 mph.

Beta will continue to weaken over the next 24 hours, but the rain will continue. Flash flood watches are in effect from Victoria, Texas, to Houston to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to New Orleans.

a man standing next to a river: Rafael Juarez rides his bicycle through a street flooded by Tropical Storm Beta as he makes his way home from the store, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

© Brett Coomer/AP
Rafael Juarez rides his bicycle through a street flooded by Tropical Storm Beta as he makes his way home from the store, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

a man walking across a snow covered road: A man walks through a street flooded by Tropical Storm Beta, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

© Brett Coomer/AP
A man walks through a street flooded by Tropical Storm Beta, Sept. 21, 2020, in Galveston, Texas.

The Weather Prediction Center has issued a high risk warning for flash flooding for Houston and Galveston through Wednesday morning.

MORE: Why slow-moving storms are especially dangerous

By Wednesday morning, the rain will start to lighten up in Houston as the storm moves east — Beta will finally pick up speed, bringing heavy rain to Louisiana on Wednesday and Thursday and then Mississippi on Thursday and Friday.

a close up of a map: The forecast track for tropical depression Beta.

© ABC News
The forecast track for tropical depression Beta.