Very heavy rainfall has resulted in three to six inches of rain over much of Travis into northern Hays counties since 5 PM. Additional heavy rain continues to develop and fall over those counties. This includes the City of Austin. Dozens (if not hundreds) of low water crossings are impassable. As nightfall approaches and high water becomes more difficult to see this flash flood event will only become that much more dangerous. This is a dangerous situation with the potential for significant flash flooding, including locations that may not typically flood with a ‘heavy rain’. Please avoid driving this evening if at all possible in Travis County – including Austin. Numerous water rescues are already underway due to folks driving into high water. We’ve heard of at least one vehicle swept away. The LCRA has begun flood operations at the Tom Miller Dam due to rapidly rising water levels on Lake Austin. Even after the rains stop it will take several hours for the water to recede.

LINK: ATXFloods – Closed roads due to flooding, etc.

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
740 PM CDT FRI MAY 3 2019

TXC209-453-040230-
/O.CON.KEWX.FF.W.0007.000000T0000Z-190504T0230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HAYS TX-TRAVIS TX-
740 PM CDT FRI MAY 3 2019

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR
CENTRAL HAYS AND TRAVIS COUNTIES...

AT 738 PM CDT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED FLASH FLOODING IN
DRIPPING SPRINGS WHERE SOME APARTMENTS ARE FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING
IS ALREADY OCCURRING.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
AUSTIN, ROUND ROCK, CEDAR PARK, PFLUGERVILLE, KYLE, BUDA, ELGIN,
DRIPPING SPRINGS, TANGLEWOOD FOREST, AUSTIN BERGSTROM INT AIRPORT,
WINDEMERE, ANDERSON MILL, LEANDER, LAKEWAY, MANOR, LAGO VISTA, BEE
CAVE, WEST LAKE HILLS, HUDSON BEND AND THE HILLS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS, URBAN AREAS, HIGHWAYS, STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS
WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.