Scattered heavy rain could leave standing water on League City-area roads Tuesday evening and into Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The warning comes from a Weather Impact Alert issued by KHOU 11. The station's alert runs through 7 a.m. Wednesday. It is KHOU's own advisory designation, not a National Weather Service watch or warning.

Galveston County, including League City and Texas City, falls within the alert's coverage area. KHOU 11's Trevor Birchett reported that several rounds of scattered storms are moving across Southeast Texas, with the biggest concern being heavy downpours during both commute windows.

What drivers should expect

Rain will not fall continuously. But isolated downpours could be heavy enough to cause ponding on roadways and reduce visibility, KHOU reported. A few stronger storms could also produce small hail Tuesday evening and overnight.

The forecast calls for conditions to begin improving around 7–8 a.m. Wednesday, with the rest of the day expected to be mainly dry.

Ponding and flood safety

Standing water on roads is the main risk for League City commuters. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) warns that just six inches of swiftly moving water can cause drivers to lose control, even in heavy pickup trucks and SUVs. Most flood-related deaths in Texas happen in vehicles, according to TxDOT.

That makes ponding dangerous even when it looks shallow.

TxDOT advises drivers to never drive through flooded roadways, reduce speed and turn off cruise control during heavy rain. Drivers should also watch for stranded vehicles in outside lanes on multi-lane roads, where water tends to collect.

If a vehicle stalls in floodwater, TxDOT says drivers should leave the vehicle and move to higher ground if they can do so safely.

Penalties for ignoring barriers

Texas law requires drivers to obey barriers blocking low-water crossings or flooded roadways. Violators face fines up to $2,000 and up to 180 days in jail. Tampering with or removing warning signs or barricades can bring a fine up to $1,000 and up to two years in jail.

Drivers can check current road conditions and closures at DriveTexas.org.