TEXAS — Heavy rain triggered flooding across large parts of Texas on Monday, prompting flash flood warnings, water rescues, and road closures as storms affected areas from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast.
The National Weather Service issued flood watches across much of the state, with alerts in place through Monday evening in Dallas–Fort Worth, through Tuesday evening in the Austin–San Antonio corridor, and through Thursday morning in the Houston area.
Emergency crews responded to flooding in Central Texas during the early hours of Monday after heavy overnight rainfall submerged roads and low-lying areas. The Lower Colorado River Authority reported that some locations received 3 to 4 inches of rain since midnight.
In Austin, emergency responders conducted at least one water rescue after a vehicle became stranded in floodwaters. The Texas Department of Public Safety reported additional water rescues south of Waco on Sunday night.
In the San Antonio area, forecasters reported rainfall rates that could exceed 2 to 3 inches per hour.
The National Weather Service said the highest flooding risk may occur Monday night into Tuesday as additional storms move across the region.
In Southeast Texas, organizers closed the Houston FIFA World Cup Fan Festival on Monday due to flooding concerns.
National Weather Service meteorologist Cody Lindsey said tropical moisture moving north from Mexico combined with a storm system over the Houston area could produce several days of heavy rainfall.
“We could see rainfall rates in excess of two inches per hour,” Lindsey said in a Houston Public Media interview.
Officials across Texas urged residents to avoid flooded roadways and follow weather warnings. The National Weather Service reiterated its guidance to drivers: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
