Gov. Greg Abbott urged Texans on Monday to prepare for heavy rain that could cause flash flooding across parts of the state over the next several days.
"There is still time for Texans to be able to take action ahead of this heavy rain hitting your region," Abbott said during a briefing in Austin.
Addressing residents in West Texas and the Panhandle, he added: "From Amarillo to Lubbock to El Paso, be prepared in the next 24 hours to take action needed to protect yourself."
The National Weather Service expects storms around El Paso Monday night and Tuesday, with a flood watch in effect through early Wednesday. The heaviest rain in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is forecast for Wednesday night through Thursday night. Around Austin and San Antonio, the flash flood threat could last into Friday morning.
Abbott said a slow-moving cold front could bring prolonged rain to some areas. He compared the potential flooding to storms that hit Central and South Central Texas last July, but said officials cannot yet say which rivers might overflow.
"At this moment in time, we can't tell you which ones are going to flood," he said.
Abbott said 1,900 state responders and more than 1,500 pieces of equipment have already been deployed. Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said the rain would be welcome in drought-stricken areas, but warned, "there will be a lot of rain in some places."
Kidd urged drivers to turn around if they encounter flooded roads and monitor for updates on road conditions.
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