Gov. Greg Abbott activated state emergency resources Monday, Sept. 28, ahead of heavy rain expected to hit western Harris County Thursday and Friday. The Katy-Fulshear area sits in a Level 2 flood threat zone.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) has staged more than 1,900 responders and 1,500 pieces of equipment across the state, according to the governor's office. The State Operations Center began 24-hour operations Tuesday morning, Sept. 29.

That staged force includes Texas National Guard personnel with Blackhawk helicopters and Texas A&M Task Force 1 swiftwater rescue boat squads. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens, Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers with a Tactical Marine Unit, and emergency medical teams with ambulances and all-terrain vehicles are also positioned for response.

The flood window opens Thursday.

KHOU 11 meteorologist Chita Craft broke down the local threat in the station's coverage of the activation: "We only expect one to two inches here," she said of western Harris County, which falls under the Level 2 designation. Areas farther east face a lower Level 1 threat. The broader Houston area could see two to three inches if storms stall, according to KHOU 11's forecast. That amount falling in a short period could cause ponding and high-water spots.

The National Weather Service Houston/Galveston office said deeper Gulf moisture combined with a slow-moving upper-level disturbance will bring chances of showers and storms late Thursday into Friday, with some potentially heavy. NWS forecasters noted the heaviest rain is most likely to fall northwest of the Houston metro area but cautioned in an outlook posted Tuesday that "there's enough uncertainty remaining in exactly where the band of heavy rain sets up" that residents in the Brazos Valley and western counties should stay current on forecasts.

The Houston Chronicle's flood timeline reported the heaviest rainfall Thursday is most likely west of Interstate 45, a zone that includes the Katy-Fulshear corridor. Rainfall totals of two to four inches are possible across much of Southeast Texas through the weekend, with some storms capable of producing three to four inches per hour.

The rain is tied to moisture from Hurricane Polo, which made landfall in Baja California Sur on Tuesday as a Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds. That tropical moisture, combined with an approaching low-pressure system and a slow-moving cold front, is expected to push scattered storms into Southeast Texas late in the week. KPRC 2 reported the heaviest totals are expected west of Houston, though isolated heavy rain could still hit the area.

Abbott held a briefing at the State Operations Center on Monday alongside TDEM Chief Nim Kidd, DPS Director Colonel Freeman Martin and other state agency leaders. It marked the second time in roughly a week the governor activated state emergency resources. The first came the week of Sept. 21 for potential flooding in West Texas and the Panhandle.

Abbott directed residents to monitor local forecasts, avoid flooded roadways and follow guidance from officials. State agencies are also monitoring road conditions, power outages and water and wastewater systems during the threat window.

No statements from Fort Bend County, Katy or Fulshear officials regarding local emergency preparations were available as of Tuesday. The cold front is expected to move through the Houston area Friday or Saturday, with rain chances lingering into the weekend.

Residents can check real-time road conditions at DriveTexas.org, flood information at TexasFlood.org and preparedness tips at tdem.texas.gov/prepare.