Devastating Texas Floods Shattered 93-Year Record
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The catastrophic floods that hit central Texas over the weekend caused the Guadalupe River to flood so high it broke a 93-year-old record by nearly a foot.
Newsweek reached out to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Austin, which is the forecast region for Hunt, Texas, where the record was set, by phone for comment.
Why It Matters
On Friday, the NWS issued urgent warnings to people across central Texas amid heavy downpours that resulted in months' worth of rain at once, prompting the Guadalupe River to surge around 25 feet in only 45 minutes.
More than a foot of rain lashed the region before the river flooding on Friday afternoon, NWS meteorologist James Wingenroth told Newsweek. The downpours caused rivers to surge with little advance notice. Floodwaters inundated central Texas, sweeping away an RV park with families still inside their vehicles.
More than 80 people have died, and search-and-rescue missions continue on Monday as the region is anticipating more rain.
What to Know
Early data evaluation by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) along the Guadalupe River in Texas show that record river height was reached in at least one location.
In Hunt, Texas, preliminary data suggests the Guadalupe River peaked at 37.52 feet on July 4, according to a Facebook post from Harris County meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
This breaks the prior record of 36.60 feet by nearly a foot. That record was set on July 2, 1932.
The next highest level occurred on July 17, 1987, when the river reached 28.40 feet. During that flood event, 10 campers died when a bus evacuating them from a summer camp near Comfort, Texas, was overtaken by floodwaters.
In the post, Lindner pointed out that the top three flood events for this location occurred during July.
In Kerrville, Texas, the river peaked at 34.29 feet, which is the third highest on record. The record was set on July 2, 1932, when the river peaked at 39 feet, followed by a flood event on July 17, 1987, where it peaked at 37.72 feet.
"The Kerrville gage rose from 1.82 ft at 5:15 am to a peak of 34.29 ft at 6:45 am or 32.47 ft in 1.5 hrs," Lindner said. "With the number of fatalities surpassing 80 on Sunday, this TX flood event appears to be the deadliest non-tropical flood event in American history since the 1979 Big Thompson Canyon Flood in Colorado which claimed 144 lives."
Flooding in central Texas remains a possibility on Monday as heavy rain continues to fall.
Flooding caused by a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, is seen on July 5.
Flooding caused by a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, is seen on July 5.
Ronaldo Schemidt/Getty
What People Are Saying
NWS Corpus Christi in a flood warning about the Guadalupe River: "Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas. Even 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock you off your feet and a depth of 2 feet will float your car. Never try to walk, swim, or drive through such swift water. If you come upon flood waters, stop, turn around and go another way."
NWS Fort Worth in a flood warning: "Numerous roads remain closed due to flooding. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may be impassable. It will take several hours for all the water from these storms to recede."
What Happens Next?
Flooding will remain a possibility through mid-week as it will take time for rivers to recede.
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