Flood watch expands as Texas faces one last rain push
A flood watch is in effect across parts of Texas as remnant moisture from Hurricane Polo and an incoming cold front drive more heavy rain. Amarillo already saw overnight flash flooding and one last morning rain push, while San Antonio's flood watch starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday, with the greatest flooding risk expected Thursday.
Key Takeaways
- Amarillo saw heavy overnight rain, ongoing flash flood warnings, and one final shower band before drier air arrives Wednesday.
- A San Antonio flood watch begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, with the highest flooding risk tied to Thursday storms near Interstate 35.
- The National Weather Service expects 2-4 inches across much of South-Central Texas through Saturday, with isolated totals near 8 inches.
- Thursday storms may produce rainfall rates of 2-3 inches per hour, plus a low chance of hail, damaging winds, or an isolated tornado.
What happened in Amarillo after Tuesday's storms?
After an eventful Tuesday evening of tornadoes around the Amarillo region, heavy rains and flash flooding spilled into Wednesday morning, according to NewsChannel 10's First Alert team. Ongoing flash flood warnings continued through the morning after many places received several inches overnight.
Forecasters said a heavier band of showers would move in before sunrise Wednesday—described as one last push of rainfall—before drier air filters in and sunnier skies help the area dry out. Spotty storms remain possible farther north later Wednesday, but overall impacts are expected to be mostly minimal.
Crews planned to document road conditions and check where a tornado was confirmed southwest of Amarillo. Based on reports, that tornado touched down near FM 2219 and Cavin Road in Randall County.
When does the San Antonio flood watch start—and when is the real risk?
In San Antonio, a flood watch goes into effect at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The greatest flooding risk is not expected until Thursday, when a cold front moves closer to the Interstate 35 corridor, according to reporting that cites the National Weather Service.
Wednesday looks mostly dry but humid in the metro area, with only a low chance of an isolated shower. Overnight, thunderstorms are expected to begin across the Edwards Plateau and Hill Country, bringing the region's first flooding threat.
By Thursday afternoon and evening, rain chances rise to about 90% across San Antonio. Some storms could dump more than 2 to 3 inches per hour, raising flash-flood concerns on city streets and highways into Friday morning before chances taper later Friday and over the weekend.
Why is heavy rain spreading across so much of Texas?
Hurricane Polo made landfall in Sonora, Mexico, on Tuesday. After dissipating, remnant Pacific moisture moved into New Mexico and West Texas. Combined with Gulf moisture and an incoming cold front, that setup is expected to expand flooding rain across a large part of the state.
The National Weather Service said much of the rainfall should be beneficial across South-Central Texas, but the highest pockets will be the flash-flood risk areas. Track related coverage in our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub, and follow official updates from the National Weather Service.
Temperatures also cool behind the front, with San Antonio highs likely falling from the mid- to upper 80s Thursday into the lower 80s by Friday through Sunday.