Flooding? Maybe, maybe not

After four wet days, officials say conditions are right for flooding today if Houston gets heavy rain concentrated in an hour or so. There's been as much as 17 inches of rain since Sunday morning in some parts of the area, and though the bayous haven't overflowed, they are elevated.

"If we get 4 inches of rain in two hours like we did (Wednesday) morning, it's going to be a problem," said Rusty Cornelius, administrative coordinator for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

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Fred Garcia, Harris County Flood Control District spokesman, said conditions throughout the city are ripe for flooding. "At this point, it's all about the rain — where it rains, how fast it rains and how much it rains," he said.

The week's rainy spell put us ahead in terms of rainfall for May: The area had 8.72 inches for the month, 3.57 inches above normal. But we're still an inch below normal for the year, with a total of 17.97 inches. National Weather Service meteorologist Josh Lichter told the Chronicle that between 1 and 3 inches are expected today, but the rain won't be out of the area for another 24 to 36 hours.