Texas, 1996

Flooding in Texas, October 28 to 31, 1996

October 28 to 31, 1996 · NWS EWX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Rainfall of up to 13 inches on the headwaters of the Nueces River on the evening of the 27th and the morning of the 28th caused the river to rise rapidly. The Nueces finally crested just south of Uvalde at around 20 feet, where flood stage is 11 feet.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$15 million
Crop damage
$40 million
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS EWX wrote it up.

Rainfall of up to 13 inches on the headwaters of the Nueces River on the evening of the 27th and the morning of the 28th caused the river to rise rapidly. The Nueces finally crested just south of Uvalde at around 20 feet, where flood stage is 11 feet. This was the highest reading since 1962. As it moved southward into Zavala County near 1200CST on the 28th, flow was measured at 200,000 cfs. The river crested near Crystal City at 31 feet. Many homes had to be evacuated, with damage reported to nearly 40 home and mobile homes. The flood wave moved into Dimmit County near 1200CST on the 29th. The river crested near Asherton at just over 29 feet, where flood stage is 20 feet. Damage was reported to around 30 homes and mobile homes along the river. In addition to the damage indictated above, property damage was widespread, with hundreds of livestock drowned and millions of tons of rich topsoil washed away.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Uvalde

When
October 28, 8:30 AM CST to October 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Uvalde forecast zone
Property damage
$5.0 million
Crop damage
$10 million
Coordinates
29.357, -99.762 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Zavala

When
October 28, 12:00 PM CST to October 30, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Zavala forecast zone
Property damage
$5.0 million
Crop damage
$15 million
Coordinates
28.866, -99.761 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Dimmit

When
October 29, 12:00 PM CST to October 31, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Dimmit forecast zone
Property damage
$5.0 million
Crop damage
$15 million
Coordinates
28.423, -99.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5572704, 5572705, 5572706.