Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference at the State Operations Center in Austin July 15. The governor told reporters Sept. 28 that heavy rainfall and potential flooding this week will cover "a far more vast portion of the state" than the July storms. (Hannah Norton/Community Impact)
Heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding will threaten large parts of Texas this week, although officials do not yet know which regions will be hit the hardest, Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters Sept. 28.
The big picture
"This announcement is an early warning to people across almost the entirety of the state of Texas for what is about to happen over the next 3-4 days," Abbott said during a Sept. 28 news conference at the State Operations Center in Austin. "Our task is straightforward—we want to make sure that our fellow Texans know about the volume of rain that's about to hit their region with one collective goal: We want to save lives."
The governor pointed to severe flooding that occurred in South-Central Texas in mid-July, damaging property, sweeping cars off roadways and killing two people. Early warnings helped save lives in that flood, he said.
"Please take whatever action you can to prepare yourself, your family and your home for the heavy rain that may come [this week]," Abbott said.
This week's storms will impact "a far more vast portion of the state" than the July flooding, he warned.
"This [storm] goes from El Paso to the Panhandle, and then the entirety of the I-35 corridor," Abbott said. "Think of all the rivers and waterways in between. ... From the Red River to south of San Antonio, [Texans] should expect something similar to what we saw in Central and South-Central Texas in July, and that was floods outside of the banks of rivers and some people being washed away."
Heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding are expected to impact the majority of Texas this week.Hannah Norton/Community Impact
Zooming in
Tropical moisture from the Pacific and a cold front will bring "heavy to excessive rainfall with possible flooding" to Texas this week, according to the National Weather Service.
Abbott said the weather system will reach West Texas late Sept. 28 into Sept. 29. He said heavy rains will "really dramatically affect" the majority of the state on Sept. 30, and the NWS noted that "North-Central Texas is a particular concern."
The federal agency said that repeated rounds of "intense" storms could lead to "significant flash flooding" in that region on the evening of Sept. 30. About 2-5 inches of rain are expected in North Texas this week, although totals of 6-8 inches are possible, according to a social media post from NWS Fort Worth.
Due to the volatility of the storm and the size of the impacted area, officials do not know which parts of Texas will see the worst of the flooding, Abbott said Sept. 28.
"We don't have the information needed right now to advise Texans on exactly what's going to happen in our rivers," Abbott told reporters. "I can tell you this, however: Everyone should expect the rivers to rise."
Abbott said he expects to know more about the impacts to individual rivers and communities on Sept. 30.
Roughly 1,900 state personnel and more than 1,500 vehicles have been deployed throughout the state to respond to the severe weather and make rescues, state leaders said.
"As torrential rainfall continues to test Texas communities this year, you can be confident that your Texas National Guard soldiers and airmen will be actively positioned on the ground and in the air to support Texas emergency managers and local responders," said Texas Military Department Adjutant General Thomas Suelzer.
A state employee is shown working at the State Operations Center in Austin Sept. 15 as officials prepare for a storm that is expected to impact large parts of Texas.Hannah Norton/Community Impact
"Just six inches of fast-moving water can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles," said Brandye Hendrickson, a deputy executive director with the Texas Department of Transportation. "We encourage you to turn around, don't drown, never drive around barricades and use extreme caution on wet roadways."
One more thing
When asked about potential impacts to the Austin City Limits Music Festival—with the first weekend of the event running from Oct. 2-4—Abbott said it was important to spread the word about the incoming storm so Texans can be aware of the risks.
"Attendees for events like that here in Austin will know days in advance about the potential for this, so they can decide whether to come or not to come, and if they do come, the precautions to be able to take," he said Sept. 24 in Austin. "The same warning, however, [will] apply to events stretching from north of Dallas to south of San Antonio, and we urge everyone across the state to please listen to local officials, be weather aware, and most importantly, don't walk into or drive into heavy water."
