Texas Flooding: Slow-Moving Storms Trigger Mass Evacuations Across South Texas

Heavy downpours continued to drench South Texas on July 15-16, 2026, triggering life-threatening flash flooding, high-water rescues and mandatory evacuations across multiple counties. More than six million people in 57 counties remained under a National Weather Service flood watch, with flash flood warnings in effect for several communities as rivers surged past flood stage. Emergency crews, including Texas Game Wardens, worked around the clock to rescue residents trapped by rapidly rising waters.

Texas Flooding: Slow-Moving Storms Trigger Mass Evacuations Across South Texas

South Texas – July 16, 2026 — Torrential rainfall from slow-moving thunderstorms has overwhelmed rivers and roadways across South Texas, forcing widespread evacuations and prompting more than 40 high-water rescues in recent days. The National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey and local emergency management officials continue to monitor an unfolding situation that has already impacted more than six million residents across 57 counties. With additional rain possible, officials are urging residents to avoid flooded roads and heed evacuation orders as water levels remain elevated.

Slow-Moving Storms Drench Region

Two days of unrelenting rain have brought dangerous weather to South-Central Texas. According to reports from news4sanantonio.com and the San Antonio Express-News, communities received around 10 inches of rain on Tuesday, followed by an additional 3 to 4 inches on Wednesday. These slow-moving storms have produced frequent lightning, damaging winds and life-threatening flash flooding.

The National Weather Service placed more than six million people across 57 counties under a flood watch that remains in effect through Thursday evening. In several areas, including eastern Medina County, flash flood warnings were extended through 4:45 p.m. Wednesday. Emergency management officials reported numerous flooded roads and conducted multiple high-water rescues as a direct result of the cumulative rainfall.

The storms tracked from northwestern Frio County northward into Medina County, bringing gusts up to 70 mph and torrential downpours. Radar detected rotation within a powerful thunderstorm moving through northwestern Frio County near Frio Town early Wednesday, prompting a tornado warning. The system continued north, affecting communities already saturated from the previous day’s heavy rainfall.

Bandera County has been among the hardest-hit areas. The U.S. Geological Survey river gauge near Bandera recorded the Medina River at 12.27 feet at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, a sharp rise from 9.24 feet at the same time on Tuesday. This rapid increase forced emergency crews to intensify evacuation efforts along the river corridor.

Local officials, working alongside Texas Game Wardens, have focused resources on low-lying areas where water has risen fastest. RV parks along the Medina River were evacuated first, followed by door-to-door efforts to move residents living along the riverbanks to higher ground. An evacuation shelter remains open at the Silver Sage Senior Center, where residents bringing dogs or cats have been asked to keep their pets on a leash.

Tornado Threat Adds to Chaos

The severe weather outbreak included confirmed tornado activity. A tornado touched down in San Antonio on the city’s Northwest Side, classified as an EF-1. The twister caused damage to the Palladium and several apartment complexes. This tornado added a new layer of danger to an already chaotic weather event that combined flooding, high winds and frequent lightning.

Radar indications of rotation in northwestern Frio County near Frio Town early Wednesday raised immediate concerns that another tornado could develop. The storm was capable of producing wind gusts up to 70 mph as it tracked north toward Medina County. These conditions compounded the flooding threat, forcing emergency responders to manage both high-water rescues and tornado-related damage assessments simultaneously.

The National Weather Service has maintained tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings in addition to the ongoing flash flood warnings. With the flood watch extending through Thursday evening, forecasters have warned that additional rounds of storms could bring renewed threats of both flooding and rotating storms across the region.

Residents in affected communities have been urged to monitor weather alerts closely. The combination of saturated soils from Tuesday’s 10 inches of rain and Wednesday’s additional 3 to 4 inches has created conditions where even moderate rainfall can quickly lead to dangerous flash flooding.

Medina River Surges, Forcing Mass Evacuations

The Medina River has surged dramatically, prompting mandatory evacuations in multiple locations. According to the latest U.S. Geological Survey data, the river gauge near Bandera reached 12.27 feet by late morning Wednesday. This represents a significant increase of more than three feet in 24 hours, from 9.24 feet recorded at the same time on Tuesday.

One of the hardest-hit areas remains Bandera County, where emergency crews continue evacuating residents along the Medina River as water levels climb. RV parks along the river have already been cleared, and first responders are now assisting homeowners in moving to higher ground. The National Weather Service extended a Flash Flood Warning for eastern Medina County until 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, explicitly citing life-threatening flooding.

Communities placed under this flash flood warning include Devine, Castroville, Lytle, Natalia, Lacoste, Rio Medina, Mico, Lakehills, Bigfoot and Lake Medina Shores. Officials have reported numerous flooded roads throughout these areas, with water covering low-water crossings and portions of major thoroughfares.

In Frio County, dangerous weather continued to batter the region on Wednesday as severe thunderstorms prompted both the tornado warning and life-threatening flash flooding. The storms moved from Frio County into Medina County, delivering heavy rainfall on top of already saturated ground.

High-Water Rescues Underway

Texas Game Wardens and other first responders have conducted more than 40 high-water rescues across the affected region. Emergency management officials reported multiple water rescues after the combination of 10 inches of rain Tuesday and 3 to 4 inches Wednesday overwhelmed local drainage systems.

Residents have been strongly urged not to drive through flooded roadways. Despite repeated warnings, several individuals required rescue after their vehicles became stranded in rapidly rising water. Texas Game Wardens have coordinated with local fire departments and emergency management agencies to reach those trapped by floodwaters.

The scale of the rescue effort reflects the severity of the flooding. With more than six million people in 57 counties under a flood watch, officials have mobilized significant resources to respond to the growing number of incidents. High-water vehicles and boats have been deployed to areas where traditional rescue trucks cannot reach.

Evacuation shelters have been established to accommodate displaced residents. The Silver Sage Senior Center in Bandera County remains open as an official shelter. Officials have reminded residents that pets are allowed but must be kept on a leash while inside the facility.

Uvalde and Hill Country Towns Under Water

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in Uvalde as floodwaters continue to rise. The city has seen significant inundation following the multi-day rainfall event. Emergency officials have directed residents in low-lying areas to move immediately to higher ground.

In the Hill Country, the towns of Boerne and Schertz have seen residents urged to evacuate as Cibolo Creek rises. Flooding in Boerne and other Hill Country communities has been widely reported by the San Antonio Express-News, which documented two days of drenching rain that spawned chaotic weather including the San Antonio tornado.

Bandera County continues to face the most acute river flooding, with the Medina River measured at 12.27 feet Wednesday morning. The rapid rise has forced ongoing evacuations even as rescue operations continue in neighboring counties.

San Antonio itself has dealt with both the confirmed EF-1 tornado on the Northwest Side and widespread urban flooding. The tornado damaged the Palladium and multiple apartment complexes, while many neighborhoods have reported street flooding and overwhelmed storm drains.

The combination of river flooding, flash flooding and tornado damage has stretched local emergency resources across a wide geographic area. From Frio County in the south to Bandera and Medina counties in the Hill Country, and eastward to Schertz, the impacts have been widespread and ongoing.

What This Means

The current flooding event demonstrates the extreme risk posed by slow-moving thunderstorms over already saturated terrain. With more than six million people across 57 counties under a National Weather Service flood watch, the scale of this weather event is historic for the region. The rapid rise of the Medina River to 12.27 feet has turned a normally peaceful waterway into a dangerous force, forcing mass evacuations and more than 40 documented high-water rescues.

Local, state and federal agencies including Texas Game Wardens, the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey have coordinated their response. However, officials continue to stress that the situation remains fluid. The flood watch extends through Thursday evening, meaning additional rainfall could exacerbate current flooding and trigger new flash flood events.

The mandatory evacuations in Uvalde, ongoing evacuations along the Medina River in Bandera County, and voluntary evacuation recommendations for Boerne and Schertz residents illustrate the broad geographic reach of this crisis. Communities from Devine, Castroville and Lytle to Lake Medina Shores have all been placed under flash flood warnings at various points during the event.

Property damage is expected to be significant, particularly in areas where the Medina River left its banks and where urban flooding affected San Antonio neighborhoods. The EF-1 tornado that struck the Northwest Side of San Antonio has added insurance claims and structural damage to the list of impacts from this storm system.

Longer term, this event serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of South Texas communities to extreme rainfall events. The combination of 10 inches on Tuesday followed by 3 to 4 inches on Wednesday proved enough to push multiple rivers and creeks beyond their capacity, highlighting the importance of heeding National Weather Service warnings and maintaining situational awareness during severe weather.

What to Know

Residents in South Texas should continue monitoring National Weather Service updates closely through Thursday evening while the flood watch remains in effect. Flash flood warnings may be issued with little notice as new storms develop over saturated ground.

Avoid driving through flooded roads. Turn Around, Don’t Drown remains the official guidance from emergency management officials. Multiple high-water rescues have already been performed after drivers attempted to cross water-covered roadways.

Those living in evacuation zones, particularly along the Medina River in Bandera County, should follow mandatory orders immediately. The river stood at 12.27 feet Wednesday morning and continues to pose a life-threatening risk.

Communities under particular concern include Devine, Castroville, Uvalde, Boerne, Schertz, Lakehills, and Lake Medina Shores. Residents in these areas should have an emergency plan that includes moving to higher ground and knowing the location of the nearest designated shelter.

The Silver Sage Senior Center in Bandera County remains open as an evacuation shelter. Pet owners should bring leashes and carriers as required by shelter policy.

Texas Game Wardens and local first responders have conducted more than 40 high-water rescues. This number is expected to rise as floodwaters remain elevated and additional storms move through the region.

The confirmed EF-1 tornado in San Antonio’s Northwest Side damaged the Palladium and several apartment complexes. Residents in that area should document damage for insurance purposes and be alert for structural hazards.

With more than six million people in 57 counties under a flood watch, this event represents one of the largest-scale flooding threats in recent South Texas history. Officials continue to urge caution and preparedness as the weather situation evolves.

Updated information will be provided by the National Weather Service, Texas Game Wardens, and county emergency management offices as conditions change. Residents are encouraged to sign up for local alert systems and maintain multiple ways to receive emergency notifications.

By Jessica Ali, Staff Writer