El Niño-driven storm brings heavy rain and flash-flood risk to South Texas
A slow-moving storm system expected to deliver up to 4 inches of rain will raise flash-flood warnings across central and south Texas from Saturday through early next week.
A slow-moving storm system is set to bring steady, heavy rain to central and south Texas beginning Saturday afternoon, with the highest flash-flood risk expected on Sunday, according to the FOX Forecast Center. The system will draw warm Pacific moisture from an El Niño-enhanced jet stream and additional moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, producing widespread rainfall of 1-2 inches and localized amounts of up to 4 inches from the Hill Country to the Gulf Coast through Tuesday.
Flash-flood warnings are in place for parts of West Texas, the Texas Hill Country and a corridor from Laredo to Brownsville on Saturday (Level 1 out of 4). The risk rises to Level 2 on Sunday, covering the Hill Country and South Texas, including San Antonio, with the most persistent rain forecast for Sunday afternoon and night.
The FOX Forecast Center noted that limited atmospheric instability should keep rainfall rates moderate, resulting in a steady soaking rain rather than brief, intense downpours.