A rare flash flood emergency unfolded across Texas Hill Country on July 16 as relentless thunderstorms dumped extraordinary rainfall over an area still recovering from last summer’s catastrophic flooding. Multiple rivers rose at an alarming pace, prompting life-threatening flood warnings, dozens of water rescues and widespread evacuations across parts of Kerr, Kendall, Gillespie and Uvalde counties.
The National Weather Service issued multiple Flash Flood Emergencies, its highest flood warning, describing “large and deadly” flood waves moving down both the Guadalupe and Pedernales rivers. The warnings covered communities including Kerrville, Hunt, Comfort and Knippa as rapidly rising water inundated roads, homes and low-lying communities.
The event developed after several days of repeated thunderstorms stalled over south-central Texas. Deep tropical moisture flowing north from the Gulf of Mexico combined with a slow-moving weather pattern that allowed thunderstorms to repeatedly track over the same locations, a process meteorologists call “training.” Instead of moving away, storm after storm passed across the same counties, producing exceptional rainfall totals.
Some of the highest preliminary accumulations exceeded 26.6 inches (675 mm) near Knippa in Uvalde County over three days, roughly equivalent to an entire year’s average rainfall for that area. Elsewhere, parts of the Hill Country received 4 to 12 inches (100 to 300 mm) of rain, while rainfall rates reached 2 to 4 inches (50 to 100 mm) per hour beneath the strongest storms. Near Boerne, one rain gauge recorded 3.5 inches (89 mm) in just one hour.
The rainfall produced extraordinary rises on area rivers. The Guadalupe River at Comfort surged more than 25 feet (7.6 m) in just one hour, surpassing levels reached during the deadly July 2025 floods. At Hunt, the river climbed from 9 feet to 19 feet (2.7 to 5.8 m) in only one hour before reaching nearly 37 feet (11.3 m) shortly afterward. Downstream at Center Point, the Guadalupe rose 32 feet (9.8 m) in four hours as a large flood wave advanced east. Along the Pedernales River near Fredericksburg, water levels exceeded 31 feet (9.4 m), prompting another Flash Flood Emergency as the dangerous surge moved downstream.
Preliminary maximum rainfall amounts over 20-25" have occurred during the last three days across parts of south-central TX, leading to catastrophic flooding in the area. Heavy rain is ongoing.
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) July 16, 2026
WPC will be updating storm summaries every 12 hours here: https://t.co/AohdzxKx02 pic.twitter.com/jaz7OayN4f
The Weather Prediction Center again placed parts of the region under its rare High Risk (Level 4 of 4) Excessive Rainfall Outlook, a designation issued on fewer than 4% of days each year but responsible for the majority of catastrophic flash flood damage and flood-related fatalities. Forecasters warned that isolated locations could receive an additional 12 inches (300 mm) of rain before the event ends, with another round of thunderstorms possible Thursday night.
Flash Flood Warning including Spring Branch TX until 10:15 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/XoKK3P1IDO
— @NWSFlashFlood (@NWSFlashFlood) July 16, 2026
Texas Governor Greg Abbott expanded disaster declarations to 59 counties and said more than 1,300 state personnel, over 800 vehicles, 75 boats and 20 aircraft had been deployed to support rescue operations. More than 75 people had already been rescued by Thursday, while at least one fatality had been confirmed.
The flooding has once again highlighted why the region is known as “Flash Flood Alley,” one of the most flood-prone areas in the United States. Stretching from the Dallas area toward San Antonio, the region’s steep limestone hills, shallow soils and exposed bedrock prevent heavy rain from soaking into the ground. Instead, runoff is rapidly funneled into narrow creeks and rivers, transforming them into fast-moving torrents within minutes.
The atmospheric setup closely resembled the conditions that produced the catastrophic July 2025 floods, when slow-moving thunderstorms caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet (7.9 m) in less than an hour, claiming more than 130 lives. This time, however, officials credited expanded warning systems, flood sirens, mobile phone alerts and the pre-positioning of emergency resources with improving preparedness as another major flood emergency unfolded.
Although rainfall is expected to become less widespread later Thursday, meteorologists warn the threat is not over. Saturated ground, swollen rivers and the potential for additional thunderstorms mean dangerous flash flooding could continue through Thursday night before conditions gradually improve heading into Friday.
