Persistent southeasterly flow in the low levels increased surface dewpoint temperatures to the middle 60s across South Central Texas. This allowed a deep upper level low and surface cold front to cause thunderstorms that produced locally heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding.
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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.
Persistent southeasterly flow in the low levels increased surface dewpoint temperatures to the middle 60s across South Central Texas. This allowed a deep upper level low and surface cold front to cause thunderstorms that produced locally heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding. A few storms also produced large hail.
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 Apr 17, 9:58 AM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 1058 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2016 .UPDATE...HAVE INCREASED RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THROUGH 1PM FOR THE ONGOING ACTIVITY ACROSS THE GULF COAST PLAINS AND PORTIONS OF THE EDWARDS PLATEAU. SLOWLY STRENGTHENING SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE ONGOING AS OF THIS HOUR WITH SOME HOURLY RAINFALL RATES STARTING TO REACH HONE HALF TO ONE INCH AN HOUR. NO OTHER MAJOR UPDATES OCCURRED THIS MORNING WITH THE CONTINUED EXPECTED HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING WITH HIGH RAIN CHANCES ALREADY IN PLACE. PLEASE SEE THE UPDATED DISCUSSION BELOW ON TODAY'S EXPECTED CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION. && .DISCUSSION... SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE REGION WITH AN UPTICK IN ACTIVITY OVER THE PAST HOUR. THE INCREASING LIGHTNING ACTIVITY COULD BE A SIGNAL THAT THE CAPPING INVERSION IS SLOWLY ERODING AS EXPECTED INTO THE LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. AIRCRAFT SOUNDING DATA FROM SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN SUGGEST A DECENT CAP WAS IN PLACE EARLIER THIS MORNING BUT THE 10AM SOUNDING SUGGESTED A WEAKENING CAP OUT OF KSAT. AS INSTABILITY BUILDS THIS AFTERNOON, WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT FURTHER INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. A MESOSCALE BOUNDARY IS CURRENTLY SITTING ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY WHERE A LINE OF SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING. FARTHER EAST, ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE IS AIDING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THESE TWO AREAS COULD MERGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING THAT COULD RESULT IN A NEARLY STATIONARY LINE OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE I-35 CORRIDOR. INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN THAT LINE WILL LIKELY BE MOVING SOUTH TO NORTH AND COULD POTENTIALLY TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS. THIS SCENARIO WOULD LIKELY POSE A RIVER/CREEK AND FLASH FLOODING RISK. PLEASE STAY ALERT TO THE CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT. FOR MORE ON THE OVERNIGHT AND MONDAY EVOLUTION, PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION WITH AN UPDATE TO THAT PERIOD LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 78 69 75 66 79 / 100 100 90 70 50 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 77 68 76 65 79 / 100 100 90 70 50 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 79 68 76 66 79 / 90 100 90 70 40 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 75 64 73 64 77 / 100 100 80 60 40 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 81 65 79 64 84 / 50 40 60 40 20 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 76 68 74 65 77 / 100 100 80 60 50 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 80 68 78 64 81 / 80 70 70 50 30 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 77 68 75 65 78 / 90 100 90 70 50 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 78 70 76 68 78 / 90 100 100 80 60 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 79 68 77 67 80 / 90 100 80 60 40 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 80 69 78 68 81 / 90 100 80 60 40 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: ATASCOSA...BANDERA...BASTROP...BEXAR...BLANCO...BURNET... CALDWELL...COMAL...DE WITT...EDWARDS...FAYETTE...FRIO...GILLESPIE... GONZALES...GUADALUPE...HAYS...KARNES...KENDALL...KERR...KINNEY... LAVACA...LEE...LLANO...MEDINA...REAL...TRAVIS...UVALDE...VAL VERDE...WILLIAMSON...WILSON. && MESOSCALE/AVIATION...09 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...ALLEN PUBLIC SERVICE/DATA COLLECTION...LH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 518 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2016 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-181030- 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- 518 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10AM SUNDAY TO 10AM TUESDAY FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS... .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY LEAD TO AREAS OF RIVER AND FLASH FLOODING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TODAY...INCLUDING BOTH THE AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO METRO AREAS. THE MOST CONCERNING LOCATIONS ARE ALONG AND EAST OF A KERRVILLE TO PEARSALL LINE. ON AVERAGE...THIS AREA IS LIKELY TO RECEIVE 3 TO 6 INCHES WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES POSSIBLE. IMPACTS WILL BE GREATER IN THE LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE NORTH OF I-10 AND EAST OF U.S. HIGHWAY 281. LOWER AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED FARTHER WEST ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS AND EDWARDS PLATEAU BUT ENOUGH COULD FALL TO CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING ISSUES THERE AS WELL. PLEASE STAY ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER CONCERN. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT ON SUNDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE STORM COMPLEX RESULTING IN HEAVY RAINS SUNDAY WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBILITIES THROUGH MONDAY AND INTO MONDAY NIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL ON MONDAY WILL LEAD TO POSSIBLE RAPID FLASH FLOODING OR WORSEN ANY ONGOING FLOODING THAT MAY DEVELOP TODAY. IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZED HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER CONCERNS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CAN ALSO NOT BE RULED OUT ON MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED TODAY AND MONDAY. TB3
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 856 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2016 TXZ184-185-202-203-171500- REAL TX-EDWARDS TX-KINNEY TX-UVALDE TX- 856 AM CDT SUN APR 17 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN UVALDE... SOUTHEASTERN EDWARDS...NORTHEASTERN KINNEY AND REAL COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM CDT... AT 855 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 14 MILES NORTH OF ALAMO VILLAGE...OR 20 MILES NORTH OF BRACKETTVILLE... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LEAKEY...CAMP WOOD...GARNER STATE PARK...VANCE...MONTELL...RIO FRIO...TUFF... REAGAN WELLS AND BARKSDALE. LAT...LON 2945 10039 2966 10045 3015 9990 2955 9962 TIME...MOT...LOC 1355Z 233DEG 29KT 2961 10035 YURA
The Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:12 UTC.
33 flash flood, 6 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Park Rd. 1C at Alum Creek in Bastrop State Park.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 21 at the railroad tracks in Bastrop.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing several roads in central Bastrop.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing CR 123 at Brushy Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing CR 177 at Brushy Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing a low water crossing on Joe Tanner Ln. at Williamson Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing River Hills Rd. at Cuernavaca Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Leslie Rd. at Braun Rd. near Helotes Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing S. Hausman Rd. at Champions Gate.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing CR 377 near Opposum Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing several spots on Hwy 159 between La Grange and Round Top.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads in and around Del Rio including Cienegas Rd., Industrial Blvd., Kings Way, W. Academy St., 15th St., and Main St.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 237 in Warrenton.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 71 at Kitchen Ln.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 71 in several locations east of La Grange. Swift water rescues were performed and cars were under water.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM237 at Oldenburg near Clear Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM955 at Hwy 71.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing W. Travis St. at Hwy 77.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding sending six inches of water over Hwy 71 at Harmon Rd.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Lower Elgin Rd. south of Elgin.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM304 near the Caldwell County line.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding leading to a high water rescue on Hwy 290 between Paige and McDade.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM674 north of Brackettville.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM1051 northwest of Hwy 83. FM55 was also closed near Montell Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing a low water crossing on Peaceful Valley Rd. near Hwy 16 along the Medina River.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Schoenthal Rd. between FM1863 and FM3009 near Rockwall Ranch.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing English Crossing Rd. at the Medina River.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads in Caldwell County including Polonia Rd., Farmers Rd., Cottonwood Trl., Holz Rd., Crooked Rd., and Dale Ln.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM2814 near the intersection of I-10 and Hwy 97 and FM304 near the Caldwell County line.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing 18 roads across the county.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads around the county.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads across the county.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding leading to a high water rescue near the junction of FM237 and FM159 near Oldenburg near Clear Creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2016
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: 629712, 629713, 629714, 629240, 629715, 629716, 629717, 629718, 629241, 629242, 629243, 629719, 629245, 629720, 629721, 629246, 629892, 629893, 629894, 629895, 629896, 629897, 629898, 629899, 629900, 629901, 629902, 629903, 629904, 629905, 629906, 629907, 629908, 629909, 629910, 629914, 629946, 629947, 629948.