I just got back from reporting in the Hill Country, and I’m still processing what I saw.
You can look at video and pictures all day, but nothing compares to standing in the middle of it, the damage, the heartbreak, the sheer power of the water.
LATEST: Camp Mystic officials still working on flood alert timeline after the deaths of 27 campers
This is me in Kerrville, in front of what used to be trees, now just splintered trunks and twisted limbs piled high from the force of the floods. It’s overwhelming to witness up close. These floods didn’t just change the landscape… they changed lives.
What most people don’t know is that Flash Flood Alley is in the state of Texas, and it includes the Hill Country. There are three reasons why it gets the name: the geology, the climate, and the topography.
The Hill Country has many things working against it when it comes to flooding.
The ground is mostly limestone and clay, which aren’t good at soaking up water. When heavy rain falls, instead of getting absorbed, it runs off quickly, and that’s when flooding can turn dangerous fast.
Then there’s the climate; this part of Texas gets storms from just about every direction. This includes moisture from the Gulf, Pacific storm systems, strong cold fronts, and low-pressure areas, all of which can bring intense rainfall.
And finally, the topography plays a big role. The Hill Country is known for its steep hills and winding rivers. That kind of landscape funnels water downhill in a hurry, sending it rushing into creeks and rivers, sometimes with devastating force.
Look at the map below, from Camp Mystic to Kerrville. This is the area that got hit with 10 inches of rain in three hours. The water had nowhere to go but to rush down into the river.
One of the most dramatic rises happened in Hunt. At 4 a.m., the river level was around eight feet. Just an hour and 10 minutes later, it surged to 37.52 feet, shattering the all-time record. That’s nearly 30 feet of water rise in just over an hour.
I think for most of us, it’s hard to truly grasp the power of water until we see it, live through it, and feel it for ourselves.
As meteorologists, we often say that just six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. Let me put that into perspective: Water moving at just seven miles per hour doesn’t seem fast, but it exerts the same force per unit area as the winds of an EF5 tornado.
And if water is moving at 25 miles per hour? That’s equivalent to wind pressure from a 790-mph gust, faster than the speed of sound.
That’s why you hear this flood damage being compared to the destruction from a tornado or hurricane. It’s that powerful.
But until you see it with your own eyes, it’s truly hard to understand. And trust me, it’s something you never want to experience up close.
