LIVE BLOG: Stormy start to the day in Houston with downpours, thunder, and street flooding risk

Storms are on the move this morning, bringing another round of heavy downpours that could impact your commute.

Stay with us for live updates, radar, and the latest on where the storms are headed across Houston.

10:30 a.m. update:

Morning storms are gradually moving out of the Houston area, but pockets of heavy rain and gusty winds remain, especially near Clear Lake, Dickinson, and Hempstead. Flood advisories are in effect after 1 to 1.5 inches of rain fell, causing minor street flooding.

About 5,000 power outages have been reported, mostly in areas like Cypress, Sugar Land, and Pasadena. Roads remain slick, with slow spots in Sugar Land and Pearland.

9:40 a.m. update:

An aerial flood advisory remains in effect for parts of the area, especially around Friendswood, where 0.75 to 1 inch of rain fell in just 30 minutes. While major roads are handling the water, side streets and feeder roads could see minor flooding.

The good news: storms across much of the metro have collapsed for now. Heavy rain is still lingering south of Houston around Manvel, Hillcrest, and Angleton but should move offshore later this afternoon.

Flood control gauges show some neighborhoods around Sugar Land and Meadows Place picked up 1 to 1.5 inches of rain in the last hour. Street flooding threat remains low, but drivers should stay alert for slick roads and minor ponding.

9:10 a.m. update:

Heavier rain has been falling near Friendswood and Pearland, with street flooding possible along Broadway Street, Pearland High School, and nearby neighborhoods. A special weather statement is also in effect north of Sugar Land toward Mission Bend, where storms could produce pea-sized hail and 40 mph wind gusts.

Clusters of storms are developing on Houston’s north and west sides near Jersey Village, Cypress, and Hempstead. Radar estimates suggest some storms could drop up to half-inch hail.

Meanwhile, road conditions have deteriorated, especially along 288 headed toward Pearland. Our crews report heavy rain, standing water, and at least one crash involving a Jeep and emergency responders.

In Fort Bend County, a separate incident has shut down Rogers Road and FM 359 after a cement truck flipped, spilling fuel into a ditch. Fire marshals and deputies have closed the area for cleanup.

If you don’t have to travel this morning, stay off the roads.

8:50 a.m. update:

We’re continuing to track storms this morning, and just moments ago, the National Weather Service issued an aerial flood advisory for Southwest Harris County — between Highway 59 and US 90. Let me show you on the map: this area is seeing rainfall rates of two inches or more per hour, which could lead to street flooding.

That advisory runs until 11:45 a.m., covering areas already seeing an inch to two inches of rain. Right now, a cluster of thunderstorms near Pasadena is dropping pea-sized hail and moving north at about 17 miles per hour — with wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour.

The center of that storm is currently right over Pasadena High School and will likely reach Galena Park by about 8:52 a.m. and Jacinto City shortly after. These storms are moving a little faster than estimated, so be prepared.

Downtown, we’re watching heavy rain between Canal Street and Clinton, stretching through Third Ward, Magnolia Park, the Gulf Freeway, and into Lyons Avenue. If you know where the new East River development is, just across the Jensen Bridge, heavy rain is coming down there now.

Further west and south, another big cluster is building near Fuqua and Winchester, moving across Beltway 8. These storms developed quickly, and with clusters stacking up, it could cause problems in the next hour or two.

8:10 a.m. update:

A new Special Weather Statement was issued for areas around Dickinson, Friendswood, and Clear Lake along I-45 and the Gulf Freeway, in effect until 8:30 a.m. The main concern is heavy rain, though radar also indicates the potential for small hail near Friendswood and League City, especially around Main Street, Bay Area Boulevard, and West Bay Boulevard.

Clusters of storms are also developing north of Clear Lake, around Pine Lock Drive and El Dorado Boulevard. While severe weather markers have stayed low so far, these areas could see brief, intense conditions.

Elsewhere, heavy rain continues to fall in parts of Fort Bend County, with a large cluster moving north from Bay City into Wharton County. New development is also underway in Waller, Austin, and parts of Colorado and Washington counties.

Stapleton cautioned that these storms will continue to slide northward through the morning, with pockets of heavy rain and gusty winds making for a rough commute.

7:50 update:

Storms are firing up earlier than expected across the Houston area Wednesday morning, with heavy rain and gusty winds already moving into parts of the metro.

Clusters of storms are developing around Spring, near Bush Intercontinental Airport, and down through Westwood Park and NRG, bringing pockets of heavy downpours along Main Street, Highway 90, and into Fort Bend County. Additional storms are sliding north from League City, Dickinson, and Friendswood along I-45.

One of the larger clusters is pushing north from East Bernard and Eagle Lake toward Katy and the I-10 corridor, moving around 30 mph. That same line is expected to reach areas of Brazoria and Matagorda counties within the next hour.

Further out west, storms near Burton and northern Washington County have produced hail and triggered special weather statements. Those cells are continuing to track northeast.

Storms are likely to impact much of the metro area within the next 20-30 minutes, with conditions expected to stay stormy through the next few hours. Road conditions along Beltway 8 near I-45 North remain wet but manageable for now, with no major ponding reported.

7 a.m. update:

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