Flood Watch Puts Central Texas on Alert as ACL Fest Braces for a Soggy Kickoff
Central Texas is in the middle of a multi-day soaking, and the heaviest part is still ahead.
The National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio office has a Flood Watch in effect now through 7 p.m. Friday for much of South Central Texas, including Travis, Hays and Williamson counties.
Forecasters warn that a cold front could bring periods of heavy rain and life-threatening flash flooding, with widespread totals of 2 to 4 inches and isolated amounts up to 8 inches.
What to expect
Rain has already pushed into the Hill Country west of Austin, where storms are forecast to move through overnight into Thursday.
The system is a mix of a Pacific cold front, an upper-level low and moisture tied to the remnants of Hurricane Polo. Forecasters are concerned the front may stall over the Hill Country.
Today looks like the wettest day, with the Weather Prediction Center placing Central Texas under a Level 3 of 4 flood risk.
The greatest threat to the Austin area is Thursday evening into early Friday, when slow-moving storms could develop along I-35 and the eastern Hill Country.
How officials are preparing
At the state level, Gov. Greg Abbott activated additional emergency resources Monday. More than 1,900 state responders and over 1,500 pieces of equipment are available, including swiftwater rescue boat squads, National Guard high-profile vehicles and Black Hawk helicopters.
The State Operations Center is running around the clock. A state emergency official urged Texans to make an emergency plan and not grow complacent.
In Austin, crews have been clearing debris and checking low-water crossings. Residents can follow Austin Emergency Management, sign up for WARN Central Texas alerts, and check DriveTexas.org for road conditions. If a road is covered with water, turn around.
ACL Fest: rain or shine, mostly
The forecast overlaps with opening day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on Friday, October 2.
ACL is a rain-or-shine event unless conditions become dangerous. Promoter C3 Presents says crews are clearing drains, pre-positioning equipment and speeding up setup to protect the park.
The city is pausing irrigation at Zilker, and officials say they hold daily briefings with C3 and the NWS. No schedule changes had been announced as of this writing, and the final call on any changes rests with C3. Fans can text “ACL” to 64934 for updates. Umbrellas are not allowed, so pack a rain jacket and boots.
Will it be another “Mud Fest”?
Memories of 2009 are fresh, and in 2013 more than six inches of rain flooded the park and forced the cancellation of the festival’s final day. Still, a full repeat of 2009 is unlikely because the Great Lawn’s grass is now well established. Expect mud in high-traffic spots anyway.
Sources:
- NWS Austin/San Antonio on X, Flood Watch graphic (Sept. 29, 2026): https://x.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/2104945210035724785
- KUT, “Flood watch issued for Austin area ahead of heavy rain threat”: https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2026-09-29/austin-tx-flash-flood-rain-risk-storm-forecast-texas
- Austin American-Statesman, “Austin weather Wednesday: Flood watch takes effect”: https://www.statesman.com/weather/article/austin-weather-flood-watch-heavy-rain-22453303.php
- Texas Public Radio, “Flood watch for San Antonio as Polo remnants piggyback on cold front”: https://www.tpr.org/environment/2026-09-30/flood-watch-for-san-antonio-as-polo-remnants-piggyback-on-cold-front
- CBS Austin, “Heaviest rain, biggest flood threat expected Thursday night”: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/heaviest-rain-biggest-flood-threat-expected-thursday-night-in-central-texas
- KXAN, “Storms ramp up tonight through Thursday”: https://www.kxan.com/weather/forecast/rain-starts-today-flood-risk-and-severe-threat-arrives-late-night/
- Office of the Texas Governor, severe weather briefing: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-holds-severe-weather-briefing-activates-additional-state-emergency-response-resources
- KCBD, “Texas mobilizes emergency resources ahead of flooding threats”: https://kcbd.com/2026/09/30/texas-mobilizes-emergency-resources-ahead-flooding-threats
- MySA, “Rainy ACL Music Fest forecast: Preparations underway”: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/austin/article/acl-fest-flood-watch-22455240.php
- FOX 7 Austin, “2026 ACL Music Festival: Organizers preparing for wet weather”: https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/2026-acl-music-festival-organizers-215533616.html
- CBS Austin, “ACL will go ahead unless festival producers say otherwise”: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/acl-will-go-ahead-unless-festival-producers-say-otherwise-city-of-austin-says
- Austin American-Statesman, “Will ACL Fest get rained out this weekend?”: https://www.statesman.com/weather/article/austin-weather-forecast-acl-festival-rain-22449376.php
- Marble Falls Messenger, “Flood watch puts Highland Lakes residents on alert”: https://marblefallsmessenger.com/news/article_1d6dc7e2-d8fc-4b3c-be39-950df582f571.html
A 40-year-old man accused of planning a violent attack on the Texas State Capitol now faces additional federal charges. The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that the FBI arrested Benny Caldera Jr. late Wednesday at the Bexar County Jail.
Benny Caldera Jr., 40, is now out on bail. (KUT 90.5)
Texas leaders demanded accountability from local prosecutors during a hearing at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday.
The House Select Committee on Government Oversight called out several local prosecutors, including Travis County District Attorney José Garza.
Garza was invited to testify at Wednesday’s hearing, but he did not show up. The DA’s office sent someone else to testify. Even though they were invited ahead of time, the DA’s office said they didn’t realize lawmakers were expecting them to show up until Wednesday morning, when, during the hearing, state lawmakers floated the idea of subpoenaing Garza for his testimony if he or someone else from his office didn’t show up by 1 p.m.
Federal prosecutors have charged Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez—the 28-year-old Venezuelan national who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Austin—with assaulting, resisting, and impeding a federal officer.
According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, authorities allege Garcés Pérez struck an agent with his driver’s side mirror while attempting to flee a traffic stop, leading to the shooting that left him hospitalized before being taken into federal custody.
Garcés Pérez, who appeared in an Austin federal court in a wheelchair with a bullet still in his back, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, while a federal judge ruled he will remain in custody as a flight risk pending a detention hearing
The Austin Police Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect involved in a robbery that occurred on September 17 at a business located in the 9700 block of North Capital of Texas Highway. (Austin Police Department)
APD is also looking for a suspect involved in an auto theft that occurred in the early morning hours of September 15 in the 5200 block of E. 7th Street. Video surveillance from an apartment complex captured the suspect operating the stolen motorcycle and traveling towards 5th Street. (Austin Police Department)
It’s finally raining! After a dry, hot, and record-breaking September, Austin temperatures are falling into the correct season at long last. But will the rain from this cold front put a damper on this weekend’s Austin City Limits Music Festival? CBS Austin Meteorologist Avery Tomasco joins host Miles Bloxson to help you plan. Plus, writer and photographer Cat Cardenas shares her take on ACL’s 25th year. And later, Councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes breaks down Austin’s budget, which goes into effect today!
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING…
- WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.
- WHERE…A portion of south central Texas, including the following counties, Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Llano, Maverick, Medina, Real, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Williamson, Wilson and Zavala.
- WHEN…Through Friday 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.
- ADDITIONAL DETAILS… – Rainfall totals of 1-4 inches with isolated amounts of 8 inches are possible. – Some locations that may experience flooding include… San Antonio, Austin, Round Rock, New Braunfels, Cedar Park, Georgetown, San Marcos, Pflugerville, Medina, Schertz, Kyle, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Seguin, Cibolo, Kerrville, Converse, Universal City, Taylor and Uvalde.
- MORE INFORMATION… http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
For the first time in many weeks, there is only one wildfire to report in Texas this morning.
Republican campaign momentum is shifting into high gear across central Texas as President Trump prepares to touch down in Austin today, closely following a high-profile visit by Vice President JD Vance yesterday. (Reuters / Austin American-Statesman)
A jury in San Antonio federal court on Monday found Bexar County liable for running an unconstitutional traffic stop operation that harnessed mass surveillance to target drivers with a pipeline of pretext traffic stops and unconstitutional searches. (San Antonio Current)
SPORTS
TWO AND THROUGH
MLB: The Chicago White Sox used a big first inning and a three-run homer from Chase Meidroth to propel them to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday to sweep their AL Wild Card Series.
It’s the first time Chicago has won a playoff series since beating Houston in the World Series in 2005. (Associated Press via MSN)
Enjoy a mesmerizing look at the starry skies over Texas.
