Texas, 1998

Flash Flooding in Texas, September 16 to 17, 1998

September 16 to 17, 1998 · NWS EWX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Scattered showers and thunderstorms began to develop in the early evening hours between Catarina and Carrizo Springs. The storms spread slowly northwestward, and into Zavala and Maverick Counties by 9 pm.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$35,000
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.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms began to develop in the early evening hours between Catarina and Carrizo Springs. The storms spread slowly northwestward, and into Zavala and Maverick Counties by 9 pm. Rainfall continued across the three county area with rates of 2 inches per hour at times. General totals from the event were 1 to 2 inches, with isolated amounts of 4 inches between Big Wells and Carrizo Springs, 3 inch amounts across the western half of Zavala County, and totals to 5 inches between Eagle Pass and El Indio. Sheriffs departments in the three counties reported numerous roads closed briefly due to the flooding.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Dimmit

When
September 16, 8:00 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Dimmit County, North Portion
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
28.423, -99.757 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Zavala

When
September 16, 9:00 PM CST to 11:30 PM CST
Where
Zavala County, South Portion
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
28.866, -99.761 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Maverick

When
September 16, 11:30 PM CST to September 17, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Maverick County, South Portion
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
28.743, -100.314 (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

More

Every storm in Texas in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, September 1998

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: 5672389, 5672390, 5672391.