Wet Week Ahead: Central Texas Braces for Days of Rain and Flood Risk
Get ready to swap the sunscreen for a rain jacket — Central Texas is heading into one of its wettest stretches of the summer.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely at times today through Thursday, with widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 6 inches possible across the region. Some spots could see even more: isolated totals up to 8 inches are possible, mainly over the Rio Grande Plains and southern Edwards Plateau, according to the National Weather Service (Austin/San Antonio).
The pattern is already active.
Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms were likely Sunday evening, with a low-end flood threat for the entire region, and the Weather Prediction Center has issued a level 2 out of 4 “slight” flood threat for the entire region on Monday, expanding to most of the area on Tuesday.
UPDATE
The Austin/San Antonio area is now under a Flash Flood Watch THROUGH THURSDAY.
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY
EVENING...
* WHAT...Flooding and flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is
possible.
* WHERE...A portion of south central Texas, including the following
counties, Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards,
Frio, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Llano, Maverick,
Medina, Real, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Williamson and Zavala.
* WHEN...From 9 PM CDT this evening through Thursday evening.
* IMPACTS...There is a potential for life threatening flooding
somewhere in the watch area. Excessive runoff may result in
flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and
flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their
banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
Low-water crossings may be flooded. Extensive street flooding and
flooding of creeks and rivers are possible.
To our north, Tarrant County is already seeing flooding rain this morning.
Forecasters say the heaviest rain coverage looks to arrive Tuesday, especially during the morning commute, so give yourself extra time and be ready for slick, low-visibility roads.
TODAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Why is this happening now? A disturbance lifting northward out of the Gulf is tapping into deep tropical moisture, and forecasters note precipitable water values surging into the 2 to 2.25 inch range — the kind of setup that can produce heavy rainfall rates and tropical-downpour-style storms wherever they park.
That’s the key flooding concern this week: not just the total rain, but how fast it falls. Central Texas’ terrain — thin soils, exposed bedrock and steep terrain in the Hill Country — makes it especially prone to flash flooding when storms stall or repeatedly track over the same areas. Low-water crossings, area creeks and small streams are the most likely trouble spots, so if you see water over a roadway, turn around, don’t drown.
The good news: after a hot, dry start to July, the region badly needed the moisture, and temperatures should stay near or slightly below normal for mid-July as clouds and rain hang around. Just keep an eye on the forecast through midweek, keep your phone’s weather alerts on, and avoid unnecessary travel during the heaviest bands of rain — especially Monday night into Tuesday, when confidence in flooding impacts is highest.
THE COMPLETE FORECAST CAN BE FOUND FURTHER DOWN THIS POST IN WEATHER.
A stretch of I-35 in Austin was briefly shut down early this morning due to a crash.
The scene is now clear. The lanes of traffic were reopened by 6:00 a.m.
Officials in Georgetown report a fatal accident there Sunday just before noon.
The crash happened at Williams Drive and Woodlake.
No information on the person who died has been made available.
Reports of a carjacking overnight.
No other information on this incident has been made available.
One of two men accused of killing two people outside a northeast Austin nightclub has been arrested, while authorities believe the second suspect could be fleeing to Memphis with his mother. (Austin American-Statesman)
Witnesses to Saturday morning’s officer-involved shooting of a man reported to be aiming a gun at citizens downtown are coming forward to tell what they saw.
Police said officers received multiple 911 calls around 8:00 a.m. reporting a white man armed with a handgun near the trail system around Lamar Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Street.
Shortly after 11:00 a.m., officers made contact with an individual matching the suspect’s description outside the TownLake YMCA.
Meanwhile, Austin police say they issued 38 traffic citations, 59 warnings, and three DWI arrests over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. (KXAN-TV)
Cedar Park police say drones are aiding them in apprehending suspects.
A South Austin business under construction caught fire Sunday evening.
Public access to Austin school district records is being stifled by high fees. By charging parents, journalists, and experts thousands of dollars over the last year, the district faces growing criticism that it is effectively hiding the rationale behind its most critical decisions behind a paywall. (Austin Current)
Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax is proposing a $6.6 billion budget, aiming to balance a $26 million shortfall with a 3.5% property tax increase.
CapMetro is on the brink of its first strike in almost two decades. (KUT 90.5)
Parts of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail are set to close from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today and Tuesday in Austin while crews work on trees in the area.
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national and Houston homebuilder, was driving his brother and two co-workers to a construction job on Tuesday when an ICE officer fatally shot him during a vehicle stop in Houston’s Magnolia Park neighborhood. On Saturday evening, about 200 people gathered inside a sweltering South Austin church to mourn his death. (KUT 90.5)
Salgado’s children speak about their father’s death. (en español)
A spokesperson for Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday afternoon his cause of death Saturday was aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. (CBS News via MSN)
Sen. Ted Cruz posted a tribute on X calling Graham a fearless patriot and devoted public servant who never wavered in confronting America’s adversaries, adding that his friendship, humor, and commitment to the nation would be deeply missed.
Sen. John Cornyn said his thoughts were with Graham’s family, praising him as a fierce advocate for the military and federal judiciary while also noting he was one of the funniest people Cornyn had ever met.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows praised Graham’s unmatched energy for strong national defense.
Following the death of longtime Sen. Graham, political leaders across the country, including in Texas, are reflecting on the senator’s legacy and what his death could mean for the political landscape ahead of the midterm elections.
A judge will hear arguments this week after industrial users protested a rate hike by the City of Corpus Christi, which said residents and businesses were unfairly subsidizing industrial rates. (Texas Tribune)
Wally Funk, a North Texas aviation pioneer and the oldest person to ever go to space, has died. She was 87. (Houston Public Media)
In other space news, researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife are preparing to launch Texas wine grape seeds into space. (Texas Public Radio)
Drivers hitting the road today are facing a mixed bag at the pump as national gas prices tick upward. According to the latest data from AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded has reached $3.87.
However, there is some relief for drivers in the Lone Star State. The Texas statewide average sits significantly lower at $3.42 per gallon—saving local drivers 45 cents compared to the national baseline. Meanwhile, here in the Austin-metro area, prices are holding relatively steady, averaging just a penny higher than the state rate at $3.43 per gallon. (AAA)
SPORTS
MLB: Another walk-off win for the Texas Rangers over in-state rivals, the Houston Astros.
Brandon Nimmo hit a game-ending single that drove in Wyatt Langford with his third hit of the game, and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 6-5 on Sunday to enter the All-Star break with a winning record at 49-47. (Associated Press)
Astros center fielder Brice Matthews left the game against Texas with a left knee injury Sunday after crashing back into the wall while pulling back a ball hit by Josh Jung. (Associated Press)
The Texas Rangers head into the All-Star break clinging to first place in the AL West.
Yordan Alvarez will represent Houston as the American League’s starting designated hitter in Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia — his fourth career All-Star nod, and a fitting reward for a hitter who leads MLB with a 1.070 OPS while trailing only Kyle Schwarber in home runs. He’ll be joined on the AL side by Texas left-hander Jacob Latz, earning his first All-Star selection out of the Rangers’ bullpen.
With the division race tightening — Texas at 48-47 and Houston at 47-50 entering the break — both clubs will use the four-day layoff to regroup before resuming their fight for the AL West crown in the second half.
2026 MLB DRAFT: The 2026 MLB Draft wrapped up this weekend in Philadelphia, and both Texas clubs left with hauls that could reshape their farm systems for years to come.
The Astros leaned into a familiar strength, doubling down on up-the-middle talent by grabbing Texas Tech outfielder Logan Hughes with the No. 17 overall pick and Notre Dame right-hander Jack Radel with the No. 28 overall pick, before adding Georgia high school shortstop Keon Johnson in the third round and Missouri shortstop Kam Durnin in the fourth, a player Houston’s scouting director called a pleasant surprise to still be on the board that late.
Across the Metroplex, the Rangers came away with what one scouting director described as a nearly ideal weekend. Texas landed prep left-hander Gio Rojas out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with the 16th overall pick after he’d been mocked as a top-10 talent for weeks, then found more first-round-caliber upside later in the draft — most notably in third-round arm Brody Bumila, a hard-throwing lefty who’d been sliding down boards after reports surfaced that he needs a second UCL surgery.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: The 2026 FIFA World Cup reaches its penultimate stage on Tuesday as France and Spain prepare to face off in a high-stakes semi-final at Dallas Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 PM CDT. The winner of this clash will advance to the tournament final, set for Sunday, July 19, at New York/New Jersey, where they will face the victor of the second semi-final between England and Argentina.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Texas Longhorns football eyes a defensive leap as Kade Phillips emerges as Will Muschamp’s pivotal X factor for 2026. Can Phillips elevate the secondary to elite SEC standards and anchor a top-10 defense amid rising expectations? Brad Kellner breaks down Phillips’ impact, roster shifts in the backfield, and what Muschamp’s aggressive schemes mean for Texas’ title hopes.
The latest Postcard From Texas via Texas Parks & Wildlife hits close to home.
The three-acre Barton Springs Pool in Austin is fed by underground springs and provides a year-round hangout for swimmers.
