Flash Flooding in Texas, October 8 to 9, 2002

As an upper level low pressure area began to approach from the west on the night of October 8, scattered showers and thunderstorms began forming over Atascosa and Wilson Counties. They showed very slow movement toward the northeast. General 2 to 3 inch amounts fell across the northern part of Atascosa County, with isolated totals up to 5 inches. Flash flooding was reported over many of the county roads in the northern part of Atascosa County through the late night hours.

As an upper level low pressure area approached from the west, scattered showers and thunderstorms in Atascosa County spread quickly into Wilson County. The northeastward tracking storms dropped general 2 to 3 inch rain amounts over the northern part of Wilson County. Isolated totals of up to 5 inches were indicated. The Wilson County Sheriff's Department reported many roads closed due to flash flooding in the northern part of the county from late night into the early morning hours.

Showers and thunderstorms spread northward from Atascosa and Wilson Counties into Bexar, Guadalupe and Caldwell Counties, with rain rates of up to 2 inches an hour. Rainfall in Bexar County through the late night and early morning hours was the heaviest in the south part of the county, where general 3 to 4 inch rainfall was reported, and isolated totals approached 6 inches. Widespread flash flooding forced the closing of many county roads.

Showers and thunderstorms spread northward from Wilson County into Guadalupe and Caldwell Counties just before midnight, with rain rates of up to 2 inches an hour. Heavy rain was widespread across Caldwell County from just before midnight into the early morning hours, with general rain totals near 3 inches and scattered amounts of 5 to 7 inches in the southern part of the county. Widespread flash flooding forced the closing of many county roads.

Widespread showers and thunderstorms, moving northward from Wilson County, covered most of Guadalupe County by 10 pm. Rain falling at rates of up to 2 inches an hour began to produce countywide flash flooding before midnight and continuing to near sunrise. General rain totals of 3 to 5 inches were indicated with widespread amounts of 6 to 8 inches over the county. Severe flash flooding was reported by the Emergency Manager and the Guadalupe Sheriff's Department over the county.

The showers and thunderstorms continued to spread eastward through the midnight period. Shortly after midnight, heavy rainfall brought flash flooding to the southern part of Bastrop County. Rainfall rates were near 2 inches per hour and the rain continued to just past midnight. Rain totals in the south part of the county were generally 2 to 3 inches with totals to 4 and 5 inches south of a Red Rock to Rosanky line.

Moving eastward into Fayette County from Bastrop County just prior to midnight, rainfall over the western half of the county averaged 2 to 3 inches. Isolated totals of 6 to 8 were reported near LaGrange. According to the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, flash flooding closed numerous county roads from just after midnight until nearly 3 am.

Another round of showers and thunderstorms began forming over the western parts of South Central Texas just before midnight. Stretching from Uvalde to Hondo, they produced generally between 1 and 2 inches of rain over the southern parts of both counties. Highest totals in Medina County were 6 inch amounts from Yancey westward. Flash flooding began just after midnight and ended prior to sunrise.

Spotty, slow-moving showers formed in western Real County just prior to midnight and produced isolated totals up to 4 inches between Leakey and Barksdale. Flash flooding began near 1 am that morning and continued for up to 3 hours.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms began forming between Uvalde and Hondo just before midnight, with rain rates of up to 2 inches an hour. These storms produced general rain amounts between 1 and 2 inches over southern Uvalde County, with isolated totals to 6 inches in the southeast corner of the county. Flash flooding that began shortly after midnight ended prior to sunrise.