Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas Face 1 to 2 Inches of Rain Through Memorial Day While the Western Gulf Coast Braces for Excessive Rainfall and Active Flood Watches This Weekend
EASTERN UNITED STATES — A wet Memorial Day weekend is locked in across a massive corridor stretching from the Gulf Coast all the way to southern New England, with widespread rainfall of 1 to more than 2 inches forecast from Friday, May 22 through Wednesday, May 27, 2026. At the same time, the western Gulf Coast faces a far more dangerous situation, with another round of heavy to excessive rainfall bearing down on Texas and Louisiana where Flood Watches are already in effect.
The Western Gulf Coast Faces the Most Dangerous Rainfall
The most extreme rainfall totals on the 5-day forecast map are concentrated along the western Gulf Coast, where 5 to 10 inches or more of rain is possible across portions of Texas and Louisiana through May 27. This is on top of rainfall that has already fallen across the region over the past week, making flash flooding and river flooding the dominant and life-threatening concern for this area through the holiday weekend.
Flood Watches are currently in effect for the western Gulf Coast region. Residents in Texas and Louisiana must treat this as a serious flood emergency and avoid all flooded roadways.
Rainfall Forecast Through May 27 by Region
| Region | Forecast Rainfall |
|---|---|
| Western Gulf Coast Texas and Louisiana | 5 to 10 inches or more |
| Mississippi, Alabama, and broader Gulf Coast | 3 to 5 inches |
| Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas | 2.5 to 3 inches |
| Mid-Atlantic and Northeast | 1.5 to 2.5 inches |
| Southern New England | 1 to 2 inches |
| Broader eastern United States | 0.5 to 1.5 inches |
Memorial Day Weekend Plans Impacted Across the Entire East
The 1 to 2 inch rainfall zone stretches from the Gulf States through the Mid-Atlantic and into southern New England, covering virtually every major East Coast population center through the holiday weekend. While this level of rain does not carry the same flash flood danger as the Gulf Coast core, it will produce repeated rounds of showers and storms that will impact outdoor Memorial Day activities from Florida to Massachusetts.
Flood Watches Signal Extreme Danger on the Western Gulf Coast
The presence of active Flood Watches along the western Gulf Coast underscores just how serious the rainfall situation has become in Texas and Louisiana. Forecasters are not simply monitoring conditions but actively warning residents that flooding is expected. Anyone in flood-prone areas of the western Gulf Coast should have evacuation plans ready and should never attempt to drive through flooded roads.
Stay with CabarrusWeekly.com for live flood watch, rainfall, and Memorial Day weekend weather updates from the Gulf Coast to New England through May 27.