South Texas Braces For Seven Inches Of Rain As Flood Watch Extends To Monday
Governor Abbott ordered additional state resources deployed after multiple days of storms saturated the region, with peak rainfall rates expected to hit two inches per hour.
By Noor Phillips ·
Rainfall totals of seven to nine inches are projected for parts of South Texas over the next two days, extending the flood threat into Monday morning.
A flood watch remains active across the region after consecutive days of storms saturated the soil. The warning covers five major cities: Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, Brownsville, and Kerrville. Forecasters expect widespread precipitation of two to five inches, with localized areas facing the higher seven to nine inch range due to slower-moving and training storm systems.
Ground conditions are already compromised. Some locations east of Laredo and near Kingsville recorded more than five inches of rain since Sunday morning. For the remainder of Sunday, a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat is in effect. Rainfall intensity may reach one to two inches per hour in specific spots. This heavy rain is expected to linger through the evening and continue into Monday's commute.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to increase its emergency response capacity on Friday. The state agency is mobilizing additional resources to assist local officials in protecting residents.
"The State of Texas is prepared to respond to the threat of heavy rainfall and flash floods across South and West Texas," Abbott said in a statement. "I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to mobilize additional state emergency response resources to support local officials and help protect Texans. I urge all Texans to remain weather-aware, monitor local forecasts, avoid flooded roadways, and heed guidance from state and local officials."
This weather event follows catastrophic flooding along the Tennessee-Georgia border just days ago. That storm system dropped six to nine inches of rain in a few hours, causing the Ocoee River to rise to a record 18.05 feet. The previous record crest for that river was 17.8 feet, set on February 16, 1990.
Emergency officials ordered evacuations for residents in McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, on Thursday in response to those rising waters.
