Center Point through Bergheim on the Guadalupe River were under a flash flood emergency early Thursday morning as forecasters warned of a “large and deadly flood wave” pushing down the Guadalupe River and urged people to seek higher ground.
“The river gauge at Center Point has risen 32 feet in 4 hours and is expected to reach a crest similar to July 4, 2025 catastrophic river flood,” the forecast warning said. “Flash flooding is already occurring.”
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Forecasters warned the damage could be catastrophic. The river near Center Point hit nearly 38 feet at 5:20 a.m., according to a U.S. Geological Survey gauge. A steep rise was recorded downriver in Comfort, passing above 33 feet at 6:25 a.m. No rise had been recorded yet at the next gauge near Bergheim as of 6:45 a.m.
Upriver on the Guadalupe River, Hunt and Kerrville in Kerr County were also under emergency warnings. Forecasters reported between three to six inches of rain had fallen in that area already as of 3 a.m. Thursday with a heavy rainfall rate of two to four inches of rain expected and the Guadalupe rising.
“Flash flooding is already occurring with evacuations, escalating water rescues, and water beginning to enter structures,” the alert said.
The gauge on the Guadalupe River at Hunt had spiked just above 20 feet around 3:35 a.m. Thursday morning, which was below what’s considered a major flood there, according to the USGS gauge. The river later hit nearly 17 feet in Kerrville, also below what’s considered a major flood.
More than 100 people died in Kerr County last summer during flash floods early on July 4, when more than 10 inches of rain in places on the river’s South Fork fell largely in the span of several hours, with much of the worst damage in Kerrville and upriver.
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Additional rain expected to batter Kerr and Uvalde counties after a long night of showers
Additional rainfall fell across Central Texas overnight, with storms battering several towns particularly vulnerable to the rising Guadalupe River, forecasters at the National Weather Service’s San Antonio office said.
Forecasters said they expect the heaviest downpours in Kerr and Uvalde counties after a long night of heavy rain. Over the last six hours, towns along central Kerr County, including Kerrville, Hunt and Ingram, saw as much as 8 to 10 and a half inches of rain. The storms also showered towns downstream from the Guadalupe River, in Center Point, Comfort and Bergheim, forecasters said.
Nearly 20 inches of rain has fallen over the past 48 hours in central and northern Uvalde County, forecasters said.
Storm activity is developing further south in Bandera County and is likely to travel north, bring more rain in the coming hours.
“Showers and thunderstorms and the rainfall rates are picking up again a little bit acrossKerr County, and even back into those areas that got hit hard across Uvalde and back into the portions of the Hill Country,” said Eric Platt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “So it’s not over just yet.”
— Carlos Nogueras Ramos
Life-threatening floodwaters endanger southwest Texas
National Weather Service forecasters were expecting stormwater to push rivers and creeks over their banks in southwest Texas — including the Nueces and Frio rivers — Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night.
Homes in D’Hanis and Crystal City are threatened, according to the forecasts, as are livestock and campgrounds.
Federal forecasters also issued a flash flood emergency for Boerne midday Wednesday through Wednesday evening. As much as a foot of rain had fallen in the area, according to the warning, and more was possible.
Forecasters said people were being rescued and were stranded, according to local emergency management. Chris Shadrock, the city’s communications director, said in a video posted online that areas that don’t typically experience high water were likely to see flooding.
“This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!” the warning said.
The federal forecasters predicted imminent major flooding on Seco Creek near D’Hanis on Wednesday afternoon, when water levels could rise so high that homes could flood with up to 5 feet of water, or 6 feet if Parker Creek also floods. A flash flood emergency was in effect, with similar warnings as in Boerne to seek higher ground immediately to escape danger.
Uvalde police officials were also urging residents on the Leona River to get to higher ground Wednesday afternoon. The river had already risen to nearly 20 feet near Uvalde that morning, according to a river gauge, a record-breaking surge of water that was moving downstream.
Nearby, federal weather officials also expected the Sabinal River at Sabinal to see dangerous flooding, including at “Utopia on the River” and a Girl Scout camp, before water flowed quickly into the Frio River.
The Frio River at Concan looked poised to hit a level Wednesday afternoon where forecasters warned: “Up to near ten feet of turbulent flow smashes through campgrounds” and could easily push RVs, cars and gear downstream and threaten flood-prone homes.
Downstream, the Frio River near Uvalde was predicted to peak with major flooding Wednesday night, reaching levels that could trap and drown livestock and flood cropland.
The Nueces River also faced expected challenges: The West Nueces River at Bracketville was already significantly flooded and forecasted to hit a point that could threaten livestock, roads and fencing with flooding “over four hundred yards wide.”
Below Uvalde, “disastrous widespread lowland flooding” on the Nueces River overnight Wednesday looked poised to damage some homes around Crystal City, also potentially threatening livestock, fencing and roads.
“A lot of this rain that’s falling upstream is just kind of flowing downstream and there’s not a whole lot to slow down or stop that rise of water,” said Harrison Tran, a forecaster with the National Weather Service’s Austin and San Antonio office.
River flooding could impact areas downstream of heavy rain, so people needed to stay vigilant, Tran said.
“Folks along the rivers should prepare to see some pretty steep rises either over the next few hours if they’re closer to the area or in the day or two ahead as well,” Tran said.
Cities stay vigilant ahead of an anticipated early morning downpour
Cities across the Hill Country and South Texas already pummeled by a series of rainstorms held their flood precautions steady into Wednesday evening as rainfall was expected to return in the early hours of Thursday morning.
In Uvalde County, where some mandatory evacuation orders were given earlier in the day, City of Uvalde police outlined more neighborhoods that should be prepared to evacuate “at any time” through the night. Most of the county was under a flash flood warning set to expire at 1 a.m.
In La Pryor, the Nueces River had risen significantly, according to a social media post from the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. According to a river gauge in the Nueces River south of the city of Uvalde, water levels had reached a historic high of 20 feet at 8:30 p.m., but were expected to peak there and lower through the night.
Flash flood warnings in Kinney and Real counties were extended until 4 a.m. Thursday and in Bandera, Kendall and Medina counties until 2 a.m. as showers ebbed Wednesday evening. In Edwards County, a flash flood warning was issued just after 9:15 p.m. Wednesday until Thursday at 11:15 a.m.
Emergency officials across the region warned residents to stay vigilant, avoid travel unless absolutely necessary and be prepared to leave in areas closer to waterways.
— Ayden Runnels
Abbott: Rainfall could surpass July 4 flooding numbers, but state is prepared
Gov. Greg Abbott said portions of the state could see upward of 30 inches of rain over the course of the storm, surpassing the surge of rainfall that caused the deadly July 4 flooding last year.
At a news conference Wednesday evening with agency officials, Abbott laid out Texas’ response to the larger wave of rainfall expected through the night and drew comparison to the disastrous rainfall in 2025.
Roughly 20 inches of rainfall last year caused flooding in the Hill Country that killed more than 119 people in Kerr County. While Abbott said storms through the week could well exceed last year’s rainfall, potential ramifications are lessened by both the state’s level of preparedness and the differences in where rain is expected to occur.
“We are better prepared than we have ever been to deal with weather events in general, but rainfall events and flooding events in particular,” Abbott said, mentioning that sirens have been set up alongside the Guadalupe River as well as other river basins across Texas.
As of Wednesday, there have not been any reported fatalities, Abbott said, but he and other officials urged residents to stay alert through the end of the week, even after rainfall subsides as rivers and waterways continue to shift.
More than 75 people have been rescued, most of whom were taken from stranded vehicles, said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. With rainfall in some areas forecasted at 3 inches an hour, Kidd cautioned against residents making unnecessary trips on roadways, which can quickly become flooded under such heavy rates of rainfall.
“It doesn’t matter where you live in Texas; three inches of rain an hour will cause flooding,” Kidd said.
Kidd cautioned Texas against driving on roads obscured by water and said that shelters were ready to be opened if needed.
The state has deployed more than 800 vehicles and 1,300 state personnel to help assist with preparation, rescue and recovery efforts, and Louisiana and Oklahoma officials have also provided resources, Abbott said.
Abbott said the biggest challenge facing emergency crews was making Texans aware of the inclement weather and flooding.
“If every Texan is aware of what’s going on and realizes they can protect themselves over the next 24 hours, everything’s going to work out just fine,” he said.
— Ellie Ashby and Ayden Runnels
More heavy rain expected over hard-hit areas
Another round of heavy rain was expected to fall over the same drenched areas of southwest Texas on Wednesday night and Thursday, said Jason Runyen with the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio.
Forecasters said 2 to 6 inches of rain could fall in the worst-hit regions along U.S. 90 west of San Antonio and the western Hill Country, with up to 10 to 15 inches in some areas that could cause catastrophic flash flooding, Runyen said.
Counties of concern included Uvalde, Medina, Kinney, Edwards, Real and Bandera, plus possibly Kendall and Gillespie. Forecasters were also watching Kerr County, where more than 100 people died in floods last summer, for possible heavy rainfall.
“It’s a pretty big area west of San Antonio that’s been impacted,” Runyen said. “This is many counties we’re dealing with.”
A staggering 12 to 17 inches of rain had already fallen over the past two days over north Uvalde, northeast Kinney and north Medina County, according to the National Weather Service.
Flash flooding had prompted evacuations or calls to seek higher ground in the city of Uvalde, D’Hanis and Boerne. River flooding continued to threaten Crystal City and Carrizo Springs and other areas along the Nueces, Frio and Medina Rivers as water pushed downstream, plus smaller waterways such as Cibolo Creek.
Emergency officials notified forecasters Wednesday that Cibolo Creek had overflowed, flooding River Road and stranding multiple vehicles. “Numerous water rescues, evacuations and road closures have been reported,” a forecast statement said.
A Cibolo Creek gauge near Boerne showed the water had risen above 22 feet Wednesday afternoon and was pushing downstream toward Selma.
— Emily Foxhall
Mandatory evacuations ordered in Uvalde
Some residents in Uvalde have been ordered to evacuate and have been notified by first responders, with additional mandatory evacuations possible, according to a Facebook post from the Uvalde Police Department.
South of Uvalde in Zavala County, emergency officials in another Facebook post warned residents near the Nueces River to prepare for flooding, with the river expected to crest near historic levels.
— Emily Foxhall
Reported tornado damages apartments near UTSA, displacing students
A reported tornado touched down near the University of Texas at San Antonio campus Wednesday, causing significant damage to an apartment complex and displacing 10 to 12 students, local officials said. That number could rise as assessments continue.
The San Antonio Fire Department is on scene at the Oasis San Antonio apartments. No injuries were reported and the apartment has been evacuated.
UTSA is working with the American Red Cross to provide assistance and connect affected students with temporary housing and other resources.
“We’re grateful that no injuries have been reported. University staff are working closely with UT Police, the San Antonio fire and police departments, and the American Red Cross to support affected students and connect them with needed resources,” the university posted on X.
Meanwhile, crews have begun clearing debris, removing downed trees, and responding to storm-related damage across San Antonio as emergency officials continue to monitor weather conditions.
— Emily Foxhall and Katlyn Ma
Heavy rains continue as Texas’ flash flood concerns persist
A heavier band of rainfall continued to drop water on Kinney, Uvalde and Medina counties Wednesday morning, all of which had seen a lot of rain already, said meteorologist Matt Lanza, who helps write the Eyewall. Storms were also expanding toward Kerrville, Fredericksburg and Boerne.
But the rain — while intense — has been somewhat more manageable than the huge amount that dropped all at once in Kerr County last July, causing the Guadalupe River to surge, Lanza said. In this case, Lanza didn’t expect the flash floods to be quite so urgent and “flashy,” he said, giving people a little more time to watch and react. Even so, flooding concerns were still widespread before the rain was expected to slow into the afternoon.
Areas in Bexar, Guadalupe, Bandera, Kerr, Gillespie and Kendall counties had all come under flash flood warnings. Flash flooding was reported on Cibolo Creek at FM 78 with more rain possible, according to federal forecasters.
“Hopefully just another couple of hours of this and then things will start to settle,” Lanza said. “But even in those couple hours you could be talking about easily another 2 to 4 or 5 inches of rainfall, maybe even a little bit more in spots.”
Rain had picked up starting around 6 a.m. in Medina County and water was starting again to cover roadways, said Mark Chadwick, the county’s emergency management coordinator. Responders had rescued four people from vehicles the day prior.
No water had gotten into structures, but officials were keeping a particular eye on D’Hanis, which has historically flooded, Chadwick said.
“We’re saturated,” Chadwick said. “Right now, any rain, it’s not going to take much for that to rise back up.”
— Emily Foxhall
Rescues underway in Uvalde County as rain may return with “a vengeance”
At least 25 people were rescued in Uvalde County as of Wednesday morning, while more rescues were ongoing, local officials said during a 10 a.m. news conference.
“As we speak, the river levels are rising due to rains last night, and first responders are actively rescuing in the northern part of Uvalde County,” County Commissioner Roy Kothmann said.
A shelter remained in operation at the Uvalde County Fairplex, Kothmann said.
The Uvalde Police Department on Wednesday morning asked residents near the Leona River to voluntarily evacuate and warned other residents to prepare for possible evacuation as predicted rainfall is expected to affect rivers and creeks that run through town.
Officials urged residents to avoid low water crossings and call 911 if needed.
“The rain’s going to come back tonight — it looks like with a vengeance — again, so I would urge caution,” said state Rep. Don McLaughlin, R-Uvalde.
— Emily Foxhall and Katlyn Ma
Tornado confirmed in northwest Bexar County
Forecasters just before 8 a.m. Wednesday reported a confirmed tornado in northwest Bexar County they said was crossing Interstate 10 near Shavano Park and urged people to take shelter.
Some waterways in Texas had also risen rapidly Wednesday morning, according to river gages tracking their heights.
Significantly, the West Nueces River at Bracketville had come up 20 feet over four hours, as of 6:30 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey gauge. At that height, it’s considered a major flood by federal forecasters with “extensive inundation of structures and roads.”
Other rivers had spiked into a moderate flood level, including the Sabinal River at Sabinal and the Dry Frio River near Reagan Wells.
— Emily Foxhall
Multiple counties under flash flood warnings; Uvalde County hit hard
All or portions of multiple counties remained under flash flood warnings early Wednesday morning, while storms continued to dump rain in southwest Texas.
Federal forecasters estimated between 6 and 16 inches of rain had fallen over 24 hours in Uvalde County, relaying reports that people had been rescued from the water. Northeast Kinney County also received significant amounts of rain and remained under a flash flood warning, meaning life-threatening flooding could be imminent. Rainfall rates of two to four inches an hour were forecast in the area.
South central Edwards, southern Real, western Gillespie and southeastern Kerr counties were also still under warnings.
Forecasters were watching for another round of storms to move back in over previously hard-hit northern Uvalde and northwestern Medina counties. They were also keeping an eye on the Frio and Nueces and West Nueces rivers,
“It’s very rural out there,” said Monte Oaks, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Austin and San Antonio, of the hardest-hit spots. “From what we know, they just basically shut down long stretches of road out there.”
— Emily Foxhall
Wide swath of Texas bracing for 2 to 6 inches of rain
Considerable to catastrophic flooding is likely to occur over the next two days in places along the U.S. 90 corridor west of San Antonio, according to forecasters who elevated the risk for heavy rain causing flash flooding to the highest possible level through Thursday morning.
Some places could see a staggering 10 to 20 inches of rain, raising particular concerns for vacationers who might not be familiar with the flash flood threat. The areas at greatest expected risk included all or parts of Medina, Frio, Uvalde, Kinney, Maverick, Zavala, Val Verde, Edwards, Real and Bandera counties.
The Pecos, Rio Grande, Nueces, Frio, Medina and San Antonio rivers could all flood, National Weather Service forecasters said.
Areas outside of the worst forecast still faced a possible 2 to 6 inches of rain, including Kerr County. The city of Kerrville Police Department on Monday night and Tuesday said it already barricaded some roadways because of high water.
The warnings arrived barely more than one year after flash flooding killed 119 people in Kerr County on the July 4 holiday, when many children were attending summer camp and families packed RV parks and vacation homes. Residents continue to feel intense anxiety when it rains and were watching the forecasts.
Weather experts after last summer’s flood cautioned that it is impossible to predict precisely and with certainty where the heaviest rain might fall. That’s why people need to have a way to receive weather warnings and be aware of how they might need to act.
State legislators have since required certain areas prone to flash-flooding to install warning sirens, a process that is ongoing. The state also mandated new safety standards at youth camps, but it took no action on other recommendations such as standardizing training for local emergency management coordinators.
Gov. Greg Abbott midday Tuesday issued a disaster declaration for 59 counties in recognition of the threat to make resources available.
“Texas is positioned to respond quickly and effectively,” Abbott said in a statement. “I urge all Texans in affected areas to monitor local weather forecasts, avoid driving through flooded roadways, and have emergency supplies ready.”
Storms had already dropped more than 10 inches of rain north of Uvalde as of Tuesday, with more heavy rain also falling in parts of Medina, Bandera and Kerr Counties, according to the National Weather Service Austin and San Antonio Office. The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday was urging people to stay home and reporting on roadways that had flooded. Bandera and Medina County also reported multiple road closures, including on U.S. 90.
Forecasters expected a lull in storm activity before it ramped up again overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
“All areas are kind of saturated now across the Rio Grande, Edwards Plateau and in portions of the western Hill Country and U.S. 90 corridor,” forecaster Jason Runyen said at an afternoon webinar. “Any additional heavy rainfall that occurs is going to run off very, very quickly.”
Counties under flood warning brace for looming overnight deluge
Amid warnings Tuesday night about imminent flooding, South Texas and Hill Country towns braced for river overflows and submerged roadways into Wednesday morning as forecasters estimated rainfall to continue to batter the region.
The National Weather Service late Tuesday noted storms had stalled over Bandera County as well as Uvalde County, where the agency also warned of “swollen” creeks and rivers causing floods. Flash flooding had already been observed in Uvalde and Medina counties, according to their emergency management offices.
Flash flood warnings for Bandera, Medina, Real and Uvalde counties that were scheduled to expire at midnight were extended until 8 a.m. Wednesday. NWS discouraged travel in the affected areas and warned that it expected rainfall at 2 to 4 inches an hour.
Medina County’s Office of Emergency Management warned in a social media post that Seco Creek, which runs through several counties under warnings, was at risk of flooding. The office urged residents to be alert through the night in the event an evacuation was called, and announced five road closures.
The NWS also reduced a warning for Bexar, Comal and Kendall counties to a flood advisory, noting that 2 to 6 inches of rain through the night were still expected.
— Ayden Runnels
New flash flood warnings issued in Hill Country counties
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for several counties on Tuesday evening as rainfall was expected to worsen through the night.
The warnings issued for parts of Bexar, Comal, Kendall and Real counties include San Antonio International Airport and the Guadalupe River State Park, where NWS warned that “life-threatening” flash flooding was expected or potentially already underway. Warnings for three counties were issued at 6:20 p.m. and are in effect until 11:15 p.m. but may be extended. An additional warning for parts of Bandera and Real counties was issued at 8:15 p.m. with a midnight expiration set.
A portion of Bexar County north of San Antonio was also placed under a brief tornado warning by the NWS that expired at 7:15 p.m.
The new warning adds to two already issued flash flood warnings covering most of Uvalde and Medina counties, scheduled until midnight Wednesday. The City of Uvalde opened a temporary community shelter Tuesday afternoon for those who could potentially be affected by the flooding.
In Edwards County north of Uvalde, the sheriff’s office posted photos of roadways already flooded midday Tuesday, and CNN drone footage of Sabinal showed roads completely covered by the rainfall. Several counties in the affected regions under an NWS flood watch announced road closures in preparation for any flooding occurring through the evening. Texas Game Wardens reported several swiftwater rescues earlier in the day in several South Texas counties including Uvalde.
— Ayden Runnels
Disclosure: CNN has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in The Texas Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Ellie Ashby, Emily Foxhall, Katlyn Ma and Ayden Runnels contributed to this story.