Tropical Storm (not even a Hurricane) Allison - Houston, Texas
2001
After making landfall near Galveston, Texas, on June 5, the storm moved inland to near Lufkin, Texas. Allison drifted back into the Gulf of Mexico on June 9, turned to the northeast, and made landfall again on June 10 near Morgan City, Louisiana. After causing 24 deaths in Texas and Louisiana, Allison moved across southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, southwest Georgia, and northern Florida, causing 9 more deaths. By mid-week, Allison stalled over North Carolina and produced more heavy rainfall and flooding before tracking northeast along the DelMarVa Peninsula and moving off the New England coast on June 18. Seven additional deaths occurred in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia.
Tropical Storm Allison caused more damage than any tropical storm in U.S. history, with estimates in excess of $5 billion. Most of the damage and fatalities (22) occurred in Houston, Texas. Storm rainfall totals peaked at 36.99 inches (Port of Houston) in Texas and 29.86 inches (Thibodaux) in Louisiana.
Ah yes Allison. Didn’t think it would ever quit raining. Problem was all of the rain that fell inside the 610 Loop which acted as a huge bowl. After the water subsided, they found 18 wheelers stacked two deep on the freeway on the east side of the city. Everyone knew there were vehicles under the water but no idea how many because everything was submerged.
Water running through our back yard to the street was strong enough to dislodge and move heavy railroad ties used to outline the flower beds down to the street like they were just kindling sticks.
At one point I was talking to my friend in Baton Rouge while the rains were just starting there. Boynton was getting rain from the same system - that's a 1,200 mile wide system (just drove it - a crow may do slightly better, but it's a mostly straight shot). Isaac just sat on us for 3 days dumping buckets of rain.