Texas Getting the Soaking Rains We Need

The remnants of Tropical Storm Erin are soaking parts of Texas today. Texas is one are of the country that does not need the heavy rains from a tropical system. Flooding is being reported in parts of the state including Houston where cars are stuck on some roads because of high water...
While we don't want flooding rains here in North Carolina, a good soaking is desperately needed. An update on the drought monitor was released today and the news is not good.

The severe drought has expanded to encompass much of the state including the Triangle and the Sandhills. The hot and dry conditions of the past week are only making matters worse, and there are no signs of any widespread rains in our future for the next several days.

Meanwhile, we keep an eye on Hurricane Dean in the Atlantic that has the potential to become a very strong hurricane as it tracks toward the Caribbean.

Dean is forecast to become a category 3 hurricane in the Caribbean this weekend and could become a category 4 storm by early next week. The storm could then impact Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula where it would weaken some over land. If the storm passes through the area between the Yucatan and Cuba, the storm would likely maintain its strength. Either way, it appears that Dean may end up in the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of next week.

Keep in mind a lot can change between now and next week. We'll keep you posted with the latest developments on Dean. Catch our tropical update at :21 after the hour on News 14 Carolina.