'Large and deadly flood wave' moving down Guadalupe River amid Texas Hill Country Flash Flood Emergency
Last year's devastating floods killed at least 135 people in Kerrville and other vulnerable communities along the Guadalupe.
Flash Flood Emergency issued for Kerr County as life-threatening floods slam Texas Hill Country
Relentless, life-threatening flash flooding is ongoing across parts of Texas' Hill Country and Big Bend regions as Flash Flood Emergencies were issued in the pre-dawn hours Thursday in both Kerr and Uvalde counties after intense rain rates sent rivers and creeks surging toward major flood stage. South-central Texas has been battered by heavy rain since Monday night, with more than 2.5 million people in the bull's-eye for additional rounds of torrential rain through Friday.
SAN ANTONIO — Relentless, life-threatening flash flooding is ongoing across parts of Texas' Hill Country and Big Bend regions as the National Weather Service (NWS) warned of a "large and deadly flood wave" moving down the Guadalupe River early Thursday.
"The river gauge at Center Point has risen 32 feet in 4 hours and is expected to reach a crest similar to [the] July 4, 2025, catastrophic river flood," the NWS said in a Flash Flood Emergency warning bulletin issued just after 5:30 a.m. local time.
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Last year's devastating floods killed at least 135 people in Kerrville and other vulnerable communities along the Guadalupe.
Flash Flood Emergencies were issued in the pre-dawn hours Thursday across Kerr, Kendall and Uvalde counties after intense rain rates sent rivers and creeks surging toward major flood stage.
South-central Texas has been battered by heavy rain since Monday night, with more than 2.5 million people in the bull's-eye for additional rounds of torrential rain through Friday.
The Ingram Fire Department in Kerr County said it rescued a driver whose vehicle stalled in floodwaters overnight and received additional reports of stranded vehicles into Thursday morning.
The county warned people in low-lying areas to seek higher ground before dawn Thursday. The Guadalupe River at Hunt rose more than 10 feet in just one hour.
UVALDE AND CONCAN, TEXAS - JULY 15: A Texas Department of Public Safety vehicle drives through standing water in Uvalde on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. ((Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Kendall County on Wednesday as Boerne officials said high-water rescues were ongoing across the city.
A second Flash Flood Emergency was issued for D'Hanis in Medina County.
Within the warned area, nearly 4 to 12 inches of rain fell in the span of six hours, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Police evacuate Uvalde, Texas, neighborhoods ahead of more intense flooding. (Chris Walker FOX 7 Austin / FOX 7 Austin)
More than 20 inches of rain has fallen in Uvalde over the past 3 days, and police were seen going door to door Wednesday morning.
A viewer in Uvalde told FOX Weather that helicopters rescued people on County Road 429 north of the city Wednesday.
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Uvalde police said they have conducted at least 25 water rescues since Tuesday.
FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray reported widespread washouts and roads that had been rendered impassable near Camp Wood in Real County Wednesday. Water and air rescue units have been activated across the region.
Evacuations underway across the Texas Hill Country amid life-threatening flooding
Another round of life-threatening flash flooding is ongoing across parts of Texas' Hill Country and Big Bend regions, with more than 2.5 million people under a Level 4 or Level 3 flash flood threat, as first responders race to rescue people by boat and helicopter on Wednesday. FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray has the latest from Camp Wood, Texas.
Officials from Sabinal and Medina County told FOX Weather on Tuesday they made multiple water rescues, with one driver saved by a tree that prevented their vehicle from being swept away.
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The torrential rain and flooding prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to declare a state of emergency for 59 counties on Tuesday.
Abbott said the Blackhawk helicopters and other rescue teams were deployed Tuesday, and the National Guard and other state resources were activated ahead of the storms.
Severe storm damage around The Rim shopping mall in northwest San Antonio on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell / FOX Weather)
Meanwhile, the same weather system responsible for the flooding spawned a radar-confirmed tornado in northwest San Antonio that damaged a popular shopping mall during the Wednesday morning rush.
Dramatic video near Interstate 10 in San Antonio appeared to show a tornado in the distance as traffic streamed along during the Wednesday morning rush.
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FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell reported damage at The RIM shopping mall near where the funnel cloud was seen. It's unknown if there are any injuries.
Severe storms cause potentially life-threatening flooding in Texas
FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell is in Boerne, Texas, as heavy rainfall causes ongoing impacts in the state. Dangerous flood conditions and rescues are ongoing, and the rain isn't letting up.
Third consecutive day of Level 4 flood threat across Texas Hill Country
NOAA's Weather Prediction Center (WPC) increased Thursday's flood risk to a Level 4 out of 4 flash flood risk for parts of the Texas Hill Country, with a broader Level 3 threat including the rest of Hill Country.
A Level 2 threat covers the northwestern part of the San Antonio metro area through Friday morning.
The region is forecast to see an additional 2 to 5 inches of rain through Friday.
"Localized spots could see another foot of rain or more if storms repeatedly impact the same locations," the FOX Forecast Center said.
The FOX Forecast Center noted this is the first time the WPC has issued a Level 4 flash flood risk since April 2025, when it issued Level 4 risks on three consecutive days across the Mississippi River Valley.
Severe storm damage around The Rim shopping mall in northwest San Antonio on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell / FOX Weather)
Flood Watches for life-threatening floods remain in place across central and southwestern Texas, including Austin, Kerrville and Del Rio through Thursday.
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The massive heat dome locked over the northern half of the country is forcing a weak storm system underneath it, causing steering winds higher in the atmosphere to come to a crawl. This will create an environment where a weather disturbance can spin over the western half of Texas, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
"Without a driving force to keep storms moving, downpours are expected to park themselves over the same areas day after day," the FOX Forecast Center said.
This week's flood threat also comes on the heels of a deadly flash flooding along the Black River in southeastern Missouri that began on Friday and lasted into the weekend.
Check back for updates on this developing story.