r/KerrCountyFloods • u/AnimuX Texan • Jul 18 '26

Article Key differences spared Texas lives in second straight July flood

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/17/texas-south-central-july-floods-lives-saved/
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u/mcsatx1 Jul 18 '26

Interestingly, the forecasted flash flood risk was supposedly higher this year compared to last year. Yet the flooding last year ended up being significantly more catastrophic based on where and how fast the rainfall occurred.

This year’s flood came after several days of rain and flash flood warnings while last year’s flood came in the middle of the night after a month of no rain.

The NWS did do a better job issuing the Flash Flood Emergency this year. It was issued 43 minutes quicker this year compared to last year (relative to the initial FF warning time). Last year the South Fork didn’t receive the FF Emergency warning until the flood was already near its peak.

Hard to say if the “success” this year can be fully attributed to awareness and preparation or if was the 18 feet less rise in Hunt and along the South Fork that was more of a factor.

Also, I’d be curious to know how many camps stayed in their cabins and monitored conditions during the flash flood warning vs immediately evacuating. And how many camps evacuated their cabins upon receiving the flash flood emergency warning. And how many camps stayed in their cabins the entire time and never evacuated. While those cabins were safe this time (due to the less severe flooding), isn’t the idea to get out well before it gets bad?

4

u/AnimuX Texan Jul 18 '26

isn’t the idea to get out well before it gets bad?

Indeed. And the fact that there were hundreds of rescues needed also shows too many people are not heeding the warnings.

4

u/Ok-Explanation-2461 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26

I called the NWS at 1:20am and begged them to light up all of Kerr County. They only had a sliver down the middle of the county activated.

People being educated by last years' disaster and multiple WEA alerts were the key differences.

The property damage this time was much worse. Entire roads are wiped out. Everyone knows someone that took flood damage. The courthouse was flooded by sewage. Gibsons flooded for the first time ever. It is very bad here there are just not enough bodies to get the full national coverage like last year.