Texas activates emergency assets as heavy rain threatens flash floods
Governor Greg Abbott announced the deployment of rescue boats, helicopters, National Guard and public safety personnel as forecasts call for up to eight inches of rain and heightened flash-flood risk across Central, West and East Texas through Thursday.
Governor Greg Abbott said on Monday that Texas has mobilized emergency resources, including rescue boats and Black Hawk helicopters, and stands ready to deploy the Texas National Guard and the Department of Public Safety as heavy rain moves across the state. Meteorologists warned that repeated thunderstorms could deliver several inches of rain to Central, West and East Texas, raising the likelihood of flash flooding.
The Weather Prediction Center of NOAA projects heavy rain and flash-flood conditions in Central and much of East Texas from Monday morning through Tuesday morning, with the storm system expected to extend eastward to Georgia and South Carolina. Rainfall is forecast to continue Tuesday into Wednesday, and the FOX Forecast Center predicts up to three inches along the Texas Gulf Coast. Central and West Texas could see the most intense storms, with as much as eight inches of rain possible by Thursday. A Level 3 flash-flood risk currently covers West Texas, stretching east to Big Bend and north of San Antonio.
"Flash flooding possible over the northern Rio Grande plains, Big Bend, and TX Hill Country late today into Wednesday," Harris County meteorologist Jeff Linder wrote on Facebook. "Normally low-flowing or dry creeks and rivers may see rapid rises and flash flooding with little notice. Those near rivers and creeks should monitor the weather closely and be prepared to seek higher ground quickly. A level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk is now in place for Tuesday and Wednesday for this area."
The storm threat follows the July Fourth, 2023 flooding in the Texas Hill Country that caused 135 deaths along the Guadalupe River, heightening public concern about the upcoming weather system.