Flash Flooding in Texas, December 20, 1997

Name: Flash Flooding in Texas, December 20, 1997
Start: 1997-12-20T17:40
End: 1997-12-20T23:00
Location: Texas

December 20, 1997 · NWS FWD · 4 events in 1 county or zone

4 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

The radar

The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, McLennan

When: December 20, 5:40 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: McLennan County, Mc Gregor
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous streets were reported flooded.

Flash Flood, McLennan

When: December 20, 5:40 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: McLennan County, Crawford
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous streets were reported flooded.

Flash Flood, McLennan

When: December 20, 8:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: McLennan County, Crawford
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Highway 317 south of town was closed with three feet of water covering the roadway.

Flash Flood, McLennan

When: December 20, 8:00 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: McLennan County, Waco
Coordinates: 31.552, -97.202 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several roads were flooded and closed throughout the county.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, December 1997

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5626887, 5626888, 5626889, 5626890.