Quick, heavy rains and strong winds hit Galveston County on Wednesday, causing power outages, street flooding in low-lying areas and damage to at least one historic building on the island.
The National Weather Service in League City issued an urban small stream flooding advisory and a special marine warning. By mid-afternoon, officials at the weather service said there were reports of up to 2 inches of rain throughout Galveston County.
Just a few days ago, residents were zipping up coats and throwing on stocking caps. But Tuesday, it was all about raincoats and umbrellas.
“This is what happens when you have good, moist air and cold air ahead,” said meteorologist Patrick Blood of the local National Weather Service office. “We were in a favorable position to get a storm.”
In Hitchcock, there were power outages near FM 519 to FM 2004 because a power line was down on state Highway 6.
David Murphy, area manager for CenterPoint Energy, said that 4,689 customers lost power. By 6:30 p.m., only about 750 customers were waiting to have their power restored. Murphy said by 11 p.m., most of its customers’ power would be back on.
The wind was the major cause of downed lines that caused the loss of power. Murphy said there were a couple of cases on Pelican Island and in Galveston’s Barton Square where the lightning and rain contributed to the power loss.
“The rain itself is not bad, but it gets bad when it’s the wind and the lightning,” said Murphy.
Lightning struck and damaged the Bishop’s Palace during Wednesday’s downpour, Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said.
The strike apparently dislodged part of the historic building, causing debris to fall onto Broadway, the mayor said. City workers were investigating late Wednesday afternoon.
Charlie Kelly, Galveston’s emergency management coordinator, said traffic lights were out from 35th to 41st streets on Broadway, but that the lights had been reset. He said there had been no reports of major accidents, injuries or flooding in the area.
“It’s was nothing we don’t usually get every time there’s a big rain,” he said.
The loud claps of thunder set off car alarms in the parking garage at the county courthouse, where several trials were under way.
In Texas City, students leaving the high school were treated to a flooded Palmer Highway as water topped the curbs near the high school as well as city hall. There was street flooding near the police station along 9th Avenue and 9th Street, an intersection prone to high water during downpours.
In Bayou Vista, La Marque, Friendswood, Kemah and Clear Lake Shores, there were reports of full ditches, but no heavy flooding.
In Dickinson, Keith Kiplinger, emergency management coordinator, said that there was some flooding west of Interstate 45 on FM 517 and state Highway 3, but no closed roads.
Dawn Kilgore, public information officer for League City, said that two stalled vehicles were pulled out of the intersection of Bay Area Boulevard and FM 518. She said there were sporadic power outages, but no major flooding.
Lightning struck a boiler at Valero’s Texas City refinery, forcing the cutback on a large amount of refining at the facility, spokesman Fred Newhouse said. No one was hurt when the bolt struck a boiler used to produce steam that is a key part of the oil refining process.
Valero had to crank up its flare system to relieve a large amount of pressure following the lightning strike. As of Wednesday night, the refinery was still not back at full capacity, Newhouse said.
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Reporters Marty Schladen and Scott Williams contributed to this report.
