San Antonio submerged as flash floods halt Texas city's morning commute
Since midnight, the San Antonio Fire Department has responded to six calls for service involving vehicles stranded in high water, with no injuries reported.
Cars flood along roadways in San Antonio
Torrential downpours led to widespread flash flooding in San Antonio on Friday morning, prompting high-water rescues and grinding the city's morning rush hour to a halt.
SAN ANTONIO – Torrential downpours led to widespread flash flooding in San Antonio on Friday morning, prompting high-water rescues and grinding the city's morning rush hour to a halt.
Powerful thunderstorms are beginning to weaken as they move across a large swath of Texas. Deadly storms earlier in the week produced damaging winds, hail and flash flooding that triggered water rescues and left thousands without power.
WATCH: TEXAS STREET TURNS INTO A RAGING RIVER AS STORM DUMPS HAIL, TORRENTIAL RAIN ON AUSTIN
The FOX Forecast Center said a Flash Flood Warning was in effect in San Antonio until 10 a.m. CT as the worst of the active weather passes. Yet the storm's aftermath has significantly impacted major roadways.
By 7:30 a.m., Interstate 35 was a ghost town at the peak of the morning commute, with numerous cars left stranded in high water. Since midnight, the San Antonio Fire Department has responded to six calls for service involving vehicles stranded in high water, with no injuries reported.
WATER RESCUES REPORTED IN SAN ANTONIO AS STORMS SNARL TRAVEL IN TEXAS
I-35 on the north side of town, near the San Antonio International Airport, remains closed in both directions.
(Texas Department of Transportation)
"The reservoirs in Bexar County were significantly lower than they have been in past spring/summer starts," FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said. "You could not have paid me enough money to say that on Monday, this is how we'd end the work week on Friday with too much water in San Antonio."
Just Tuesday evening, significant flooding was reported along the Riverwalk.
"We've had two flood setups this week that have had people jump up to respond," FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, San Antonio received a rapid 3 inches of rain over a six-hour span. Anything bringing 1-2 inches of rainfall per hour is enough to cause street flooding in the city.
I-35 on the north side of town, near the San Antonio International Airport, was closed in both directions.
KNOW YOUR FLOOD TERMINOLOGY: WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES REALLY MEAN
Flash flooding is among the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S., with an average of 127 fatalities each year, according to NOAA data.
According to National Weather Service forecasters, just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot of floodwater can carry a car away.