Texas Flooding Today: Which Counties Are Under Warning, Road Closures, and the Rivers to Watch

Parts of southwest Texas and the Hill Country are in a third consecutive night of heavy rain and flash flooding, with the National Weather Service warning of "life-threatening flooding" and "locally catastrophic" flash floods of creeks, streams and low-lying areas. At least two people have died and more than 230 have been rescued. Here's exactly which counties are affected, which roads are shut, how high the rivers have climbed, and what officials are telling people to do.

Which Texas Counties Are Under Flash Flood Warnings?

According to the National Weather Service, these counties were among those under flash flood warnings:

• Kerr
• Edwards
• Real
• Crockett
• Schleicher
• Sutton
• Mason

The hardest-hit areas are the Hill Country, the Rio Grande Plains and the southern Edwards Plateau. Warnings shift hour by hour — check the NWS and your county's emergency management page for the current list before you travel.

Road Closures

Severe flooding has forced the closure of multiple major roadways and county roads across Frio, Uvalde and Zavala counties, per transportation officials. Low water crossings throughout the Hill Country are the most dangerous spots — they can go from dry to impassable within minutes during these storms.

How High Are the Rivers?

River gauges tell the story of how fast this happened:

River / location	Level reported
Guadalupe River at Comfort	as much as 37 feet
Pedernales River at Fredericksburg	34 feet
Pedernales rise (5 a.m. → 9 a.m.)	nearly 24 feet in four hours

As of Thursday night, seven locations were experiencing major flooding or were at significant risk, including the Pedernales at Johnson City, the Guadalupe near Spring Branch, Cibolo Creek at Sutherland Springs and near Falls City, and the Frio below Dry Frio.

The Rescues

First responders pulled more than 30 people from along the Pedernales River near Fredericksburg in the early morning hours, according to city communications director Sean Doerre, as the river surged. Across the region, more than 230 people have been rescued and two deaths have been confirmed by officials.

Is It Safe to Drive? Turn Around, Don't Drown

Emergency officials repeat one rule in every flash flood, because it is the one that saves lives:

• 12 inches of moving water can float most cars.
• Two feet can sweep away nearly any vehicle, including trucks and SUVs.
• Never drive around barricades — they're placed where the road may already be undermined.
• At night, you cannot judge depth. Assume every covered crossing is impassable.
• Move to higher ground before water reaches you; don't wait to see how bad it gets.

Why This Region Floods So Violently

The Texas Hill Country is one of the most flash-flood-prone areas in North America. Thin soil over limestone means rain runs off instead of soaking in, and steep, narrow river valleys funnel that water into fast, deep surges — which is how a river can rise two dozen feet before breakfast. It's the same geography behind last year's catastrophic flooding in this region, a memory that's driving the urgency of this week's evacuations.

Staying Informed

Follow the National Weather Service office for your area, your county's emergency management alerts, and enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone. For the broader weather picture this summer, see our coverage of the US heat wave and the possible Super El Niño.

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