East Texans prepare for severe weather threat

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) - Deep East Texas is preparing for the severe weather threat expected Monday night into Tuesday.

“Prepare for the worst, hope for the best,” said Ricky Conner, Angelina County’s emergency management coordinator.

Connor warned that there are some common areas in Angelina County that frequently flood.

“Of course, the Frank Street underpass - it floods almost every time we have significant rain. The road on Frank Street in front of Memorial Hospital floods a lot and also the Ellis Street and Raguet intersection, that’s really the three main areas that flood,” Conner said.

According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, the worst storms are expected to hit Lufkin from midnight Monday to 8 a.m. Tuesday. Conner said once residents get home tonight, they should stay home to avoid getting trapped on the road.

“Turn around; don’t drown. If you see a pool of water, and you’re not sure of it, turn around. Go in a different direction. But the main thing is, try to get to where you’re going before all this bad weather hits,” Conner said.

The KTRE First Alert Weather Team predicts three to five inches of rain, two-inch diameter hail, damaging winds, and tornados of up to EF2. A flood watch is in effect until Tuesday afternoon.

“If you’ll just prepare- get to where you’re going, make sure you’ve got food and water and you’ve got a battery-operated radio and flashlight, everything’s going to be okay,” Conner said.

The City of Lufkin said the police fire and public works departments are put on standby in case additional manpower is needed overnight.