Flash Flood Warning Issued: Critical Safety Steps to Take Immediately

Dateline—June 12, 2025 A widespread flash flood warning remains in effect this morning for large portions of South-Central and East Texas after another night of relentless downpours. The National Weather Service (NWS) has expanded the warning corridor from San Antonio and the Hill Country eastward through Jefferson and Navarro counties, with rainfall rates topping 2–3 inches per hour in some storms. Key Points • Life-threatening flash flooding is ongoing along low-lying roads, creek crossings, and urban drainage systems from San Antonio to Beaumont. • FOX Weather meteorologists warn that the same stalled frontal boundary will fuel additional rounds of thunderstorms through Friday, keeping the threat elevated for the I-35 and I-10 corridors and spreading north toward the Midwest, including Minneapolis by late week. • Rain totals since Tuesday have surpassed 8 inches in parts of Bexar, Travis, and Jefferson counties, overwhelming soil already saturated from a wet spring season. Why the Flooding Is So Severe A slow-moving upper-level low anchoring over northern Mexico is funneling deep Gulf moisture into Texas, while a surface front acts as a focus for repeated thunderstorm “training”—storms passing over the same areas for hours. With precipitable-water values near record June levels, each storm cell is highly efficient at producing tropical-style rainfall bursts. Counties Under Immediate Threat • Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays—urban flash flooding and river rises along the San Antonio, Guadalupe, and Blanco Rivers. • Jefferson, Orange, Hardin—bayou and drainage floods; Highway 69 and I-10 slow-downs. • Navarro, Ellis—flooded farm roads south of the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Flood Safety Checklist 1. Turn Around, Don’t Drown: Just 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult and 12 inches can sweep away a vehicle. 2. Know Your Zone: Identify whether your home or workplace is in a 100-year floodplain; relocate valuables upstairs ahead of storms. 3. Pack a “Go Bag”: Include medications, copies of identification, flashlights, batteries, cash, and critical chargers. 4. Stay Connected: Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your smartphone for real-time NWS warnings. 5. After the Water Recedes: Watch for downed power lines, displaced wildlife, and potential mold growth; photograph damage for insurance claims. Looking Ahead While rainfall intensity will gradually diminish over Texas this weekend, the saturated ground means even moderate showers could trigger renewed flash flooding. At the same time, the jet stream is expected to steer the moisture plume toward the Upper Mississippi Valley, placing eastern Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota—including the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro—under a slight flood risk beginning late Thursday night. Emergency officials urge residents to monitor local media, NOAA Weather Radio, or weather apps, and to avoid all unnecessary travel until warnings expire. Floodwaters often conceal washed-out roads and dangerous debris; staying put could save your life.