A combination of moderate low level flow from the Gulf of Mexico and mid-level flow advecting moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rick produced a deep tropical airmass ahead of a cold front over South Central Texas. These ingredients led to heavy rain and flash flooding.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 episode as NWS EWX wrote it up.
A combination of moderate low level flow from the Gulf of Mexico and mid-level flow advecting moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Rick produced a deep tropical airmass ahead of a cold front over South Central Texas. These ingredients led to heavy rain and flash flooding. There was one flash flood related death.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 21, 5:47 PM CST, 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 647 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009 .DISCUSSION... MOIST TROPICAL AIRMASS OVER S CENTRAL TX WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT SYSTEM THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE HILL COUNTRY AFTER 08Z AND THRU THE I35 CORRIDOR TAF SITES BY AROUND 12Z. NUMEROUS SHRA AND ISOLD TSRA WILL MOVE NE ACROSS THE AREA AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT OVERNIGHT. GENERALLY MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS WILL PREVAIL...HOWEVER VARIABLE CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE CIGS/VSBYS TO LOWER TO LIFR AND EVEN VFR AT TIMES AS THE SHRA MOVE THRU THE TAF SITES. SE WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS WILL PREVAIL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AND THEN SHIFT TO NWLY AT 12-22 KNOTS BY BEHIND THE FRONT. VFR CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY DEVELOP BEHIND THE COLD FRONT AS DRIER AIR PUSHES INTO THE REGION AND THE SHRA/TSRA MOVE OFF TO THE EAST DURING THE MORNING HOURS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 301 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009/ DISCUSSION... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER NEW MEXICO WILL MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS BY THURSDAY. THIS BRINGS THE UPPER LEVEL REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM RICK ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THURSDAY MORNING. NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. MOISTURE HAS BEEN INCREASING AS PWS NEAR 2 INCHES. THE MAIN THREAT IS LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WITH ISOLATED TOTALS UP TO 3 INCHES OR SO. THE GREATEST IMPACT WILL BE IN THE URBAN AREAS OF AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO. RAINS RAPIDLY END WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. COOLER AND DRIER WEATHER IS EXPECTED THURSDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND DUE TO A SURFACE AND FLAT UPPER RIDGE. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH CURRENTLY NEARING THE GREAT BASIN WILL DROP SOUTHEAST INTO MEXICO AND ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO AND FAR SOUTHERN TEXAS FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. DUE TO DRIER LOW LEVELS, ONLY AN INCREASE IN UPPER LEVEL CLOUDS IS EXPECTED. A STRONGER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE AREA LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY. SUFFICIENT MOISTURE RETURNS FOR CHANCES OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. A SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILD INTO THE AREA WITH DRY CONDITIONS LATE MONDAY INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS JUST BEYOND THIS FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE MODELS SHOW THIS TO BE THE STRONGEST FRONT YET THIS SEASON WITH SOME 30S POSSIBLE IN THE HILLS NEAR HALLOWEEN, ALTHOUGH WE SHALL SEE. HAVE GENERALLY GONE WITHIN A DEGREE OR TWO OF MAV/MEX TEMPERATURES. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 61 74 53 73 52 / 100 60 - - - AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 63 72 48 74 47 / 100 60 - - - NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 61 74 50 76 50 / 100 60 - - - BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 60 68 49 70 49 / 100 40 - - - DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 65 79 55 79 57 / 60 10 0 - 10 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 61 71 50 73 48 / 100 50 - - - HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 64 79 50 76 48 / 100 40 - - - SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 64 72 50 76 49 / 100 60 - - - LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 67 70 50 74 49 / 100 80 10 - - SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 65 73 52 75 52 / 100 50 - - - STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 65 75 52 77 52 / 100 50 - - - && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 25/01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 351 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-222100- LLANO-BURNET-WILLIAMSON-VAL VERDE-EDWARDS-REAL-KERR-BANDERA- GILLESPIE-KENDALL-BLANCO-HAYS-TRAVIS-BASTROP-LEE-KINNEY-UVALDE- MEDINA-BEXAR-COMAL-GUADALUPE-CALDWELL-FAYETTE-MAVERICK-ZAVALA- FRIO-ATASCOSA-WILSON-KARNES-GONZALES-DE WITT-LAVACA-DIMMIT- 351 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE REGION TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. GENERAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO TWO INCHES IN MOST AREAS ARE EXPECTED. A FEW ISOLATED AREAS CAN POSSIBLY RECEIVE THREE INCHES. THE FAR WEST SHOULD EXPECT AROUND ONE INCH OF RAIN. FOR AREAS RECEIVING HEAVIER AMOUNTS OF RAIN... MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AREAS AND FLOOD PRONE STREETS AND CREEKS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING ENDING THE RAINS FROM THE WEST. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE COLD FRONT. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 354 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-220300- LLANO-BURNET-WILLIAMSON-VAL VERDE-EDWARDS-REAL-KERR-BANDERA- GILLESPIE-KENDALL-BLANCO-HAYS-TRAVIS-BASTROP-LEE-KINNEY-UVALDE- MEDINA-BEXAR-COMAL-GUADALUPE-CALDWELL-FAYETTE-MAVERICK-ZAVALA- FRIO-ATASCOSA-WILSON-KARNES-GONZALES-DE WITT-LAVACA-DIMMIT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LLANO...BURNET...GEORGETOWN...DEL RIO... ROCKSPRINGS...LEAKEY...KERRVILLE...BANDERA...FREDERICKSBURG... BOERNE...BLANCO...SAN MARCOS...AUSTIN...BASTROP...GIDDINGS... BRACKETTVILLE...UVALDE...HONDO...SAN ANTONIO...NEW BRAUNFELS... SEGUIN...LOCKHART...LA GRANGE...EAGLE PASS...CRYSTAL CITY... PEARSALL...PLEASANTON...FLORESVILLE...KARNES CITY...GONZALES... CUERO...HALLETTSVILLE...CARRIZO SPRINGS 354 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009 ...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING... THE UPPER LEVEL REMNANTS AND TROPICAL MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH FORMER EASTERN PACIFIC HURRICANE RICK WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS WILL INTERACT WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW BRINGING LOWER LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AND A COLD FRONT MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. THIS WILL CREATE A TROPIC-LIKE AIRMASS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 3 INCHES OR SO POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A JUNCTION TO CARRIZO SPRINGS LINE. THE MAIN IMPACTS WILL BE IN THE URBAN AREAS OF AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO WHERE RUNOFF WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BRIEFLY FLOOD CREEKS...STREET INTERSECTIONS...CULVERTS AND HIGHWAY UNDERPASSES. THE RAINS WILL END WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT LEADING COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS LATER ON THURSDAY INTO THIS WEEKEND.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
648 PM CDT WED OCT 21 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0646 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 WNW HOLLYWOOD PARK 29.61N 98.52W
10/21/2009 M1.94 INCH BEXAR TX COCORAHS
1.94 INCHES OF RAIN SO FAR AND 1.81 INCHES FELL IN THE
PAST 85 MINUTES.
&&
EVENT NUMBER EWX0900168
MCDONALDThe Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:49 UTC.
10 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed Cave Lane and Danville Avenue in San Antonio.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed several roads in San Antonio including Babcock Road at Hollyhock Road, Classen Road at Stahl Road, Encino Park Road at Southwell Road, Huebner Road at Southwell Road, and Lookout Road at Old O'Connor Road.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed numerous roads in and around Kingsland including FM 1431, FM 2545, County Road 309, and County Road 307.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed FM 1174 along with numerous low water crossings.
A woman was killed while trying to cross a low water crossing. Karen Eichelberger, age 47, was driving home after working in Austin this Wednesday night. She tried to cross the flooded low water crossing on Deer Springs Drive in her neighborhood when her 1994 Jeep was apparently forced off the road and into the creek. Her body was found one half mile downstream from where the Jeep was located.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed 11th Street in Carrizo Springs.
Heavy rain caused flooding of several roads in Crystal City with 8 inches of water covering roadways.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed FM 2676 along with numerous low water crossings along State Highway 173 and County Road 462.
Heavy rain caused flooding which closed County Road 962 near Cypress Mill.
Heavy rain caused flooding which required a few evacuations of residents along Sandy Creek in Kingsland.
A large marina with about 40 boats attached broke loose in Lake Travis just above the confluence with the Pedernales River and was doing damage as it floated down stream.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Burnet | 2009-10-21 | 47 | Female | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, October 2009
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: 198345, 198329, 198333, 198335, 195262, 198338, 198342, 198343, 198340, 198341, 198344.