Flash Flood, De Witt
- When
- October 7, 7:30 PM CST to 9:30 PM CST
- Where
- De Witt County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 29.082, -97.357 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding in Texas, October 7, 1997
General 3 inch rainfall with isolated totals of up to 5 inches in Gonzales County, 6 inches in DeWitt County, and up to 9 inches in Lavaca County, caused widespread flash flooding over the three county area. The flooding was most severe where the three counties join, between Gonzales, Hallettsville and Yoakum.
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.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $60,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- 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.
General 3 inch rainfall with isolated totals of up to 5 inches in Gonzales County, 6 inches in DeWitt County, and up to 9 inches in Lavaca County, caused widespread flash flooding over the three county area. The flooding was most severe where the three counties join, between Gonzales, Hallettsville and Yoakum. Numerous roads and bridge were reported under water due to the heavy rain.
The radar
The Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:28 UTC.
Event by event
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Lavaca
- When
- October 7, 8:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
- Where
- Lavaca County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 29.384, -96.930 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Gonzales
- When
- October 7, 10:15 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Gonzales County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Coordinates
- 29.457, -97.492 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, October 7 to 30, 1997
- Flash Flooding in California, October 7, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Texas, October 7, 1997
- Damaging Winds in New Mexico, October 7, 1997
- High Wind in Colorado, October 7, 1997
- Flash Flood and Hail in Arizona, October 7, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, October 7 to 8, 1997
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Alaska, October 7 to 8, 1997
- Waterspout in Washington, October 7, 1997
- High Wind in Colorado, October 7, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Texas, October 7, 1997
- High Wind in Alaska, October 7 to 9, 1997
More
Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 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: 5619998, 5619999, 5620000.