A rare flash flood event is impacting parts of Texas. Meteorologists caution that some regions may experience over a foot of rain by Wednesday night, with ongoing flash flood warnings state-wide.
Floods rank among the deadliest weather hazards in America. The National Weather Service (NWS) reports that floods and flash floods claim over 100 lives yearly, outpacing tornado-related fatalities. The majority of these deaths occur in vehicles, where swift currents can unexpectedly wash away cars.
On Tuesday, the NWS issued flash flood warnings from Texas Hill Country to Central Texas. This includes areas such as Uvalde, Medina, Bandera, Bell, Coryell, and Milam Counties. Many warnings deemed the situation “life-threatening,” noting rainfall totals between 5 and 10 inches in some places.
CBS Austin meteorologist Avery Tomasco expressed concern about the evolving situation. “The scenario is dynamic, and uncertainty prevails, yet if recent data holds true, a hazardous night is possible,” he posted online.
He highlighted that forecasts predict “additional 6-12 inches” of rain through Wednesday night. Forecasters show particular concern for South-Central Texas, where the NWS Weather Prediction Center has declared a rare high risk of flash flooding. “Unreal. Extremely rare HIGH RISK for flash flooding now in place west of San Antonio to the Rio Grande until 7 AM Wednesday,” Tomasco shared online.
Additional rain totals of 10-20 inches are anticipated late Tuesday through Wednesday morning. Texas hasn’t faced a high-risk flood threat for several years. Tomasco’s post included an image warning of “catastrophic” flooding. He noted the expansion of level 3 of 4 flood risk zones farther east in parts of Travis and Hays counties. A “high risk” designation marks the Weather Prediction Center’s utmost category for excessive rainfall, reserved for widespread and potentially devastating flash flooding.
Warnings follow torrential rainfall across South-Central Texas. In northeastern Uvalde County, the NWS recorded 5 to 10 inches of rain by late Tuesday morning, with flash flooding either ongoing or imminent. Similar totals of 4 to 10 inches were noted across Medina County.
Additional warnings for Bandera, Medina, Uvalde, Frio, Edwards, Kinney, and Zavala Counties warned of “life-threatening flash flooding” carrying a “considerable” damage threat designation. Communities such as Uvalde, Concan, Sabinal, Knippa, Hondo, Medina, Utopia, and Brackettville were among those in warning areas. The Austin/San Antonio forecast office consistently advised residents to seek higher ground and avoid flooded roads. “Act quickly to protect your life,” stated one warning.
Heavy rains are also raising concerns in Central Texas. In Bell County, where Temple, Belton, Harker Heights, and Salado faced warnings Tuesday afternoon, radar showed 1 to 4 inches of rain had fallen, with more anticipated.
Elsewhere, Bell and Coryell Counties experienced up to 3 inches of rainfall, while Milam County received 2 to 4.5 inches, as per the NWS. Officials warned small creeks, streams, low-lying roads, and urban areas were highly susceptible to rapid flooding.
While forecast uncertainty remains, meteorologists are focusing on potential repeated thunderstorms over the same areas overnight. If higher rainfall projections occur, already soaked ground could struggle to absorb more water, increasing risks of rising creeks, flooded roads, and dangerous flash flooding.
Residents in warning areas are urged to monitor forecasts closely, have multiple ways to receive alerts, and prepare to relocate to higher ground if conditions worsen overnight.