San Antonio rolled into Tuesday, July 14, under a blanket of low gray clouds and soupy air, with daybreak temps near 79°F and humidity you could practically see. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to fire through the afternoon, and a Flood Watch is in place for a big chunk of south-central Texas through Thursday evening.
Wet Pattern Builds This Week
The stormy setup has been building for days, with recent mid-June flooding leaving area soils already waterlogged. That backdrop means it will not take much rain to spark quick runoff and urban flooding problems, especially when heavy cells park over the same neighborhoods. recent mid-June flooding
Flood Watch And What To Expect
The National Weather Service office in Austin/San Antonio has a Flood Watch posted through Thursday evening and is warning of a "potential for life-threatening flooding" in parts of the watch area. Storm totals of 2 to 6 inches are possible across much of the region, with isolated 10 to 15 inch jackpots most likely across the Rio Grande Plains, southern Edwards Plateau and western Hill Country. For Tuesday, showers and storms are likely before 1 p.m., with a high near 85°F and individual downpours capable of dropping three quarters to one inch of rain in short order. NWS Austin/San Antonio
Today’s Commute And Safety
Drivers should be ready for those classic Central Texas specials: sudden, uneven downpours that turn streets into temporary rivers. Low-water crossings and spots with lousy drainage will go under first. Budget extra minutes for the commute, steer clear of standing water and keep phones charged so you can actually see the alerts that start buzzing.
Looking Ahead
The soggy pattern looks to hang on into Thursday as waves of tropical moisture and slow-moving storms keep rain chances high. After that, the upper-level setup should shuffle enough for drier weather to return for the weekend, with highs climbing back into the low 90s. It is worth keeping an eye on updated forecasts before locking in outdoor plans later in the week. NWS Austin/San Antonio
Takeaway
Bottom line: multiple rounds of heavy rain are likely through Thursday, so treat flooding as a real possibility, not a long shot. If you live in a low-lying area, have a plan to get to higher ground and remember the old rule still applies - never drive through flooded roadways.
