Dangerous flooding has been unfolding across large parts of Texas on Monday as heavy rain drenched communities from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast, prompting flash flood warnings, water rescues and widespread concerns about additional rainfall through midweek.
As of Monday afternoon, flood watches remained in effect across much of the state, including through Monday evening in Dallas-Fort Worth, through Tuesday evening in the Austin-San Antonio corridor and through Thursday morning in the Houston area.
Throughout the early Monday morning hours, heavy overnight rain flooded roads and low-lying areas across Central Texas, where some locations received 3 to 4 inches of rain since midnight, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. In Austin, emergency crews conducted at least one water rescue after a vehicle became stranded in floodwaters. The Texas Department of Public Safety also reported multiple water rescues south of Waco late Sunday.
Similar rainfall totals were reported in the San Antonio area, where forecasters warned rainfall rates could exceed 2 to 3 inches per hour. The greatest flooding threat may come Monday night into Tuesday as additional storms move through the region, forecasters said.
Days of heavy rain expected across Southeast Texas
As the week progresses, the storm system is expected to shift toward Southeast Texas, where organizers closed Houston's FIFA World Cup Fan Festival on Monday because of flood concerns.
NWS meteorologist Cody Lindsey said tropical moisture moving north from Mexico is expected to combine with the south-moving storm system over the Houston region, bringing several days of heavy rain and an increased risk of flooding.
“We could see rainfall rates in excess of two inches per hour,” Lindsey told Houston Public Media on Monday.
Emergency officials throughout the state have urged Texans to closely monitor weather alerts and avoid driving through flooded roads. The National Weather Service continued to emphasize its longstanding warning: "Turn Around, Don't Drown."
