Heavy rain began in the Austin area and east during the evening of May 5th, persisting through the early morning of the 6th. Multiple flash flood reports were received.
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.
Heavy rain began in the Austin area and east during the evening of May 5th, persisting through the early morning of the 6th. Multiple flash flood reports were received.
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 May 5, 7:19 PM CST, 16 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 819 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015 .UPDATE... /LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE E OF 281...N OF I-10/ A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONCENTRATING ALONG A CONVEYOR BELT OF GULF MOISTURE FEEDING INTO THE SOUTHERN PART OF AN UPPER LOW LIFTING NE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. FINER RESOLUTION MODELS HAVE SHOWN INCREASED RAINFALL INTENSITIES AND QPF OVER SOUTH CENTRAL TX...WITH INITIAL SOLUTIONS WIDELY VARIED EARLY TODAY...NOW CONVERGING INTO THE WEAK TRAINING ECHO PATTERN SEEN THIS EVENING. FAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS WILL LIKELY CONCENTRATE ACTIVITY ALONG AND EAST OF I-35 INTO LATE TONIGHT. POPS WERE INCREASED OVER MAINLY THE EASTERN SECTIONS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MENTIONED. REST OF THE FORECAST LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK...BUT MAY NEED TO MAKE A LATE EVENING ADJUSTMENT TO POPS SHOULD THE TRAINING PATTERN SHIFT OR DIMININISH. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED...WITH FLOODING THREATS CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO BE TOO ISOLATED TO WARRANT A FFA. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 707 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015/ UPDATE... PLEASE SEE THE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION... SCATTERED CONVECTION CONTINUES ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 281 THIS EVENING. WE HAVE INCLUDED -SHRA FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS ALONG THE I-35 CORRIDOR...THEN TEMPO GROUPS FOR TSRA BETWEEN 03Z-06Z. FOR NOW...WE DID NOT INCLUDE A MENTION OF PRECIPITATION AT KDRT AS IT APPEARS ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN ISOLATED. CIGS WILL DROP INTO IFR OVERNIGHT AND REMAIN IFR THROUGH A GOOD PORTION OF WEDNESDAY MORNING. DAYTIME HEATING AND MIXING WILL IMPROVE SKIES BACK TO VFR AFTER 18Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 236 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015/ SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT)... UPPER AIR ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWED A NEGATIVELY TILTED TROUGH FROM THE FOUR CORNERS REGION TO THE BIG BEND WITH A RIDGE EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHEAST TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE 250MB JET WAS ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO...BUT WAS LESS THAN 50 KTS. THE JET MARKED THE BOUNDARY OF MOIST MID-LEVEL AIR TO THE SOUTH AND DRIER AIR TO THE NORTH. AT THE SURFACE WINDS CONTINUED FROM THE SOUTHEAST AND DEW POINT TEMPERATURES WERE FROM THE LOW TO UPPER 60S. THERE WAS A DRYLINE FROM CHILDRESS TO MARATHON. IN THE PRE- FIRST PERIOD THIS AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS HAVE FORMED ALONG THE DRYLINE AND ARE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST. SOME STORMS MAY MOVE INTO OUR NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES. STORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO MOISTURE RICH ENVIRONMENT AND FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW STEEP MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES. FORECAST CAPE IS 1500 TO 2000 J/KG. SOME STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL THE MOST LIKELY THREAT. DURING THE FIRST PERIOD STARTING THIS EVENING...THE FOUR CORNERS TROUGH WILL MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND FLATTEN AS IT MOVES INTO THE RIDGE. ANOTHER LOW WILL DIG SOUTHWARD OVER THE WEST COAST. THIS WILL PRODUCE SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW OVER TEXAS. THE LOW LEVELS WILL CHANGE VERY LITTLE WITH MOIST SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW CONTINUING. THE DRYLINE WILL REMAIN OVER WEST TEXAS AS THE MAIN FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THE STRONG MOIST FLOW WILL KEEP THE DRYLINE WEST OF OUR CWA. WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER LOW CHANCE DAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITHOUT ANY STRONG TRIGGER. WITH DEW POINT TEMPERATURES APPROACHING 70 THERE WILL BE STRONG INSTABILITY AND ONLY A WEAK CAP. ANY STORMS THAT DO FORM COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE. SPC HAS THE WESTERN HALF OF OUR AREA IN THE MARGINAL RISK FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LONG TERM (THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY)... THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CONTINUE SOUTHWARD OVER THE WEST COAST THURSDAY. THIS FEATURE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE TO THE EAST FRIDAY AND THEN TO THE NORTHEAST OVER THE WEEKEND. THE UPPER FLOW WILL REMAIN SOUTHWESTERLY DURING THIS TIME FRAME. THE ONLY SURFACE FEATURE WILL BE THE DRYLINE TO THE WEST AND THE LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BE FROM THE SOUTHEAST KEEPING IT THERE. THIS WILL MEAN AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF LOW CHANCE POPS WITH A CONDITIONALLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...BUT NOT TRIGGER FOR CONVECTION. INSTABILITY WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR STRONG STORMS THROUGH THIS PERIOD. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. THIS MAY PROVIDE A BETTER FOCUS FOR STORMS OVER A WIDER AREA. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 70 83 71 84 70 / 70 30 20 30 20 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 70 83 71 84 71 / 70 30 20 30 20 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 69 83 71 84 71 / 70 30 20 30 20 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 67 82 69 82 69 / 60 30 20 30 20 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 70 84 71 89 71 / 30 30 30 20 20 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 69 82 70 83 69 / 70 30 20 30 20 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 69 84 71 85 70 / 40 30 20 30 20 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 69 83 71 84 70 / 70 30 20 30 20 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 70 83 72 85 72 / 60 30 20 20 10 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 69 84 71 84 71 / 50 30 20 30 20 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 70 84 72 85 71 / 50 20 20 30 20 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && MESOSCALE/AVIATION...24 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...18 PUBLIC SERVICE/DATA COLLECTION...30
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 828 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-070130- 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- 828 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS EVENING. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 281. A FEW STORMS COULD PRODUCE SOME HAIL GENERALLY BELOW ONE INCH AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...BUT THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT WILL BE FOR HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER WEST OF THE I 35 CORRIDOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. A LINGERING UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND POTENTIALLY STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS THROUGH THE WEEK. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS DURING PEAK HEATING OF THE DAY. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A LOW END CHANCE OF MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WITH ANY STORM DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURS THROUGH THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE STORM OR FLASH FLOODING REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
247 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015
TXZ183-052015-
VAL VERDE TX-
247 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY
UNTIL 315 PM CDT...
AT 245 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
TERRELL COUNTY GAS PLANT...OR 24 MILES SOUTH OF SHEFFIELD...MOVING
EAST AT 20 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM IN ADDITION WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PANDALE AND HACKBERRY CROSSING.
LAT...LON 3029 10141 3028 10141 3014 10145 3015 10147
3023 10175 3024 10176 3028 10176
TIME...MOT...LOC 1945Z 279DEG 16KT 3033 10183SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
359 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015
TXZ189-190-206-052145-
KENDALL TX-BLANCO TX-COMAL TX-
359 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL COMAL...SOUTHEASTERN
KENDALL AND SOUTH CENTRAL BLANCO COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM CDT...
AT 358 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
GUADALUPE RIVER STATE PARK...OR 13 MILES EAST OF BOERNE...MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CANYON LAKE DAM...CANYON LAKE...BULVERDE...GUADALUPE RIVER STATE
PARK...BERGHEIM...SPRING BRANCH...TWIN SISTERS...ANHALT AND
STARTZVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 2973 9822 2977 9858 2988 9862 2996 9849
3000 9840 3005 9830
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 260DEG 26KT 2982 9852
EMPThe Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:35 UTC.
10 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The north and south-bound ramps to Mopac from US 183 were closed due to flooded roadways.
The 3500 block of Fritz Hughes Road was closed due to water over the roadway.
Many low water crossings closed along Spicewood Springs Road due to water over the roads.
A water rescue was performed at McNeil Drive and Pecan Street in north Austin. A vehicle was stranded with the driver inside.
A water rescue was reported about 5 miles northeast of Camp Mabry.
A road closure was reported at the 2700 block of Bee Caves Road.
Roads were barricaded at West 9th Street and North Lamar Blvd due to water over the roadway.
Water was inundated at least one home in the city of Bastrop. Numerous road closures were also ongoing in the city.
Numerous reports of trees down and hail in the town of Lexington. Hail size was not determined in the report.
Numerous roads closed and water was reported in homes in extreme eastern parts of Williamson county.
Numerous reports of flooding on roadways in the town of Lexington.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2015
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: 577315, 577316, 577317, 577318, 577319, 577320, 577321, 577322, 577325, 577323, 577324.