Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 97, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

July 17, 2026Val Verde County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 2026, 9:47 PM CDT for Val Verde County, Texas. It was in force for 9 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 2026, 9:47 PM CDT (02:47 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2026, 7:00 AM CDT
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Val Verde County, TX

The radar

The Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 129 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:50 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 17, 10:00 PM CDTFLASH FLOODPandale, TX*** 1 FATAL, 1 INJ *** A vehicle with two occupants was swept into water near the confluence of Devils Draw and Howard Draw, north of Pandale. The vehicle was later found downstream near Pandale with one female occupant deceased. A male occupant survived and w
Jul 17, 10:15 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD4 Ssw Pandale, TXMajor flooding at the Pandale Crossing on the Pecos River in Val Verde County; photo the morning after shows significant guardrail damage from the water being well over the road. Time estimated as of crest from nearby river gauge.
Jul 18, 4:20 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD8 Ne Langtry, TXWater rescue of kayakers via DPS helicopter on the Lower Pecos River near Camp Canyon. A wall of water arrived at this location with roughly 16 foot rise around this estimated time. Rescue was a few hours later. Video with helicopter rescue on social media.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 3 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 13 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 78 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 2026-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1338 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 2026-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 57 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1338 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-57 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1183 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
116 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

606 
WGUS54 KEWX 180247
FFWEWX
TXC465-181200-
/O.NEW.KEWX.FF.W.0097.260718T0247Z-260718T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
947 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

The National Weather Service in Austin/San Antonio has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northwestern Val Verde County in south central Texas...

* Until 700 AM CDT Saturday.

* At 947 PM CDT, river gauges reported a dangerous, quick escalating 
  flood wave moving down the Pecos River. This could be the highest 
  crest on this river since 1974. Flash flooding is ongoing or 
  expected to begin shortly. People along the river should move to 
  higher ground.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Gauges reported.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Shumla, Pandale and Pecos River Boat Ramp.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become 
unstable and unsafe.

Flooding is occurring or is imminent. It is important to know where 
you are relative to streams, rivers, or creeks which can become 
killers in heavy rains. Campers and hikers should avoid streams or 
creeks.

&&

LAT...LON 2968 10133 2968 10137 2970 10137 2972 10140
      2977 10139 2980 10147 2986 10149 2986 10150
      2985 10154 2987 10156 3020 10164 3021 10149
      2987 10133

FLASH FLOOD...GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

62

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 17, 7:01 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 642 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026
  • The threat of additional flash flooding has ended for South Central Texas.
  • Remaining floodwaters continue to move downstream in the Nueces, Frio, San Antonio, Llano, and Rio Grande basins. Avoid flooded areas.
  • Dry and warm weather continues into next week.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 7:01 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
701 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 642 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

- The threat of additional flash flooding has ended for South
  Central Texas.

- Remaining floodwaters continue to move downstream in the Nueces,
  Frio, San Antonio, Llano, and Rio Grande basins. Avoid flooded
  areas.

- Dry and warm weather continues into next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Tonight through Saturday night)
Issued at 130 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

At long last, the torrential rain and flash flooding threat is
coming to a close for South Central Texas. That said, rises will
continue to move downstream many of the region's swollen rivers,
including Cibolo Creek, Llano River, Nueces River, Frio River, and
the Rio Grande. Some impacts from elevated rises will be seen into
early next week for some riverine areas as floodwaters gradually
disperse or spread across floodplains. Avoid flooded areas and do
not drive through flooded roads.

The organized mid-level feature that triggered MCV development and
brought several days of extreme rainfall to our region is drifting
north into the Texas High Plains, away from South Central Texas.
Skies have already become sunnier over the eastern two-thirds of the
area. Drier mid-level air will be filtering into the region tonight
as an approaching ridge over the Gulf pulls stable Saharan air. That
should calm the weather down entering the weekend. A residual influx
of low-level moisture along the Rio Grande with much weaker and
marginally moist isentropic ascent could still bring a few light
showers over the southern Edwards Plateau Saturday morning and early
Sunday morning, but any activity should stay weak and rain chances
are very low (less than 20 percent). Broader mid-level troughing is
expected to churn up a few thunderstorms over West Texas Saturday
afternoon/evening, but the chance of these reaching rural portions
of western/northern Val Verde County Saturday evening is quite low.

Plenty of high cirrus will continue to swirl over South Central
Texas Saturday in the wake of the outgoing disturbance, but the sun
should still shine through with highs reaching a mixed bag of upper
80s and low 90s for most of the area, with upper 90s closer to South
Texas.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Sunday through next Friday)
Issued at 130 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

The strengthening of subtropical ridging over our area will set the
tune for hot and dry weather next week. The ridging will be more
evident at low-levels through Monday, but by midweek the ridging
over our area will be deep through the troposphere as the dominant
ridge previously over the Rockies sinks south to our area. This will
allow temperatures to climb during the week. The surface winds are
more likely to be southeasterly during the week, which could
moderate dry bulb air temperatures. Nonetheless, the strong ridge is
still forecast to help usher in highs in the upper 90s to low 100s
by midweek. As highly saturated grounds and vegetation basks in the
summertime Texas sun, we do anticipate some higher dew points during
the week. This is expected to raise heat indices into the triple
digits. Overnight temperatures will bottom out mildly in the 70s.
Rain chances stay negligible next week with little to no rain
forecast, but a few seabreeze showers could trickle into the Coastal
Plains later this week as southeasterly flow continues.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 642 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

A few elevated echoes of probably virga might drift by DRT this
evening, but the air has stabilized in the wake of the westward
moving upper disturbance. VFR skies and a moderate S/SE wind that
could gust over 20 knots will close out the evening skies. After
midnight, MVFR CIGS are expected to take shape over SAT, and there
could be enough ground moisture to generate some light fog or IFR
CIGs. We'll keep to a MVFR CIG but show a brief period of CIGs
approaching IFR in a TEMPO over DRT after daybreak. VFR skies
return to all areas by 18Z Saturday.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Austin Camp Mabry              76  93  75  95 /   0   0   0   0
Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport  76  93  75  94 /   0   0   0   0
New Braunfels Muni Airport     75  93  74  94 /   0   0   0   0
Burnet Muni Airport            74  91  73  94 /   0   0   0   0
Del Rio Intl Airport           75  90  76  92 /   0   0   0   0
Georgetown Muni Airport        75  92  74  94 /   0   0   0   0
Hondo Muni Airport             74  91  74  93 /  10   0   0   0
San Marcos Muni Airport        75  93  74  94 /   0   0   0   0
La Grange - Fayette Regional   76  93  75  95 /   0   0   0   0
San Antonio Intl Airport       76  92  75  93 /   0   0   0   0
Stinson Muni Airport           76  93  76  94 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

SHORT TERM...Tran
LONG TERM....Tran
AVIATION...18

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 17, 6:43 PM CDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
643 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0429 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     La Grange               29.91N 96.88W
07/16/2026                   Fayette            TX   Public

            A few downed trees and minor structural
            damage in La Grange. Time estimated via
            radar.

&&

MB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 8:32 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningEWXVal Verde24 hr
Jul 17, 9:59 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningEWXVal Verde24 hr
Jul 17, 9:59 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningEWXVal Verde40 hr
Jul 18, 4:37 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningEWXVal Verde34 hr
Jul 18, 4:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningEWXVal Verde53 hr
Jul 18, 8:07 AM CDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatEWXVal Verde3 hr
Jul 18, 8:16 AM CDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatEWXVal Verde3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.