Slow moving and redeveloping thunderstorms dumped torrential rainfall in and near Falfurrias during the afternoon of May 25th. Urban flooding began in poor drainage locations soon after the rain began, and a little after 1 PM a semi trailer careened off Highway 281, destroying a health care clinic which was later condemned. The driver sustained a minor head injury.
As the rain continued, about a foot of standing water covered a 500 foot section of business Federal Highway 281 on the south side of town. Traffic slowed to a crawl, with several vehicles stalled in the middle of the road. There were several other areas of Business Federal Highway 281 that had at least 8 inches of water on the roadway for 300 to 400 foot stretches. Firemen rescued an elderly woman from her home on Noble street which had 4 inches of water inside the house; fire fighters on a nearby location on Noble Street reported nearly waist deep water while trudging to the house.
There were several other areas in Falfurrias that had up to two feet of water on the roadway or in the alleys. A media report indicated 3 to 5 feet of water flooding on other streets, including some water reaching the lower floors of a Motel 9 on S. St. Mary's Street in the south portion of town.
Impressive rainfall totals were reported along and near State Highway 285. The Falfurrias cooperative observation at the Hollywood Hunting Camp just west of town blew away the entire monthly average with nearly 6 inches of rain during the event (5.94). An unconfirmed report of at least 8 inches was received from another location near Falfurrias, which was within reason based on the nature of the storms.
Flooding along and near Federal Highway 281 was exacerbated by construction of an elevated highway; dirt berms and dirt dams trapped water that would otherwise have drained more efficiently.