Austin weather: Dozens of low-water crossings closed in Central Texas
Austin weather: June 6 morning forecast
Showers and storms with localized flooding are possible over the next couple of days. Then we will start to dry out, with lingering rain and storm chances Sunday into early next week.
AUSTIN - Torrential overnight downpours triggered flash flooding across parts of Central Texas, pushing a river past its flood stage and forcing the closure of dozens of roads and low-water crossings.
The heaviest rainfall concentrated in Williamson County, where radar estimates indicated around 6 inches of rain just east of Liberty Hill. Private backyard rain gauges in the area reported totals as high as 8 inches.
The deluge caused the South Fork of the San Gabriel River in Georgetown to rise rapidly, cresting just over 13 feet and reaching a moderate flood stage. While flood stage for the river is set at 9 feet, water levels receded below that threshold by approximately 5 a.m. Saturday.
Flood warning
Despite the receding river, authorities warned that a flood warning remains in effect until midnight. At least 35 low-water crossings and roads were reported closed across northern communities, including Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, and Liberty Hill.
Emergency officials urged drivers to remain cautious and obey all traffic barriers. Information regarding active road closures is being updated continuously on the regional monitoring website, ATXfloods.com.
The intense rainfall is due to a nearby low-pressure system funneling tropical moisture into the region. While the core of the system is tracking northeast away from Central Texas, a level 1 risk for isolated, localized flooding persists for most of the area, with a level 2 risk clipping western and northern sections near Lampasas and San Saba.
Weekend forecast
Showers and storms are expected to remain isolated to scattered throughout the weekend, with most areas forecast to receive under a quarter-inch of additional rainfall over the next 48 hours. Temperatures are projected to stay below average, with daytime highs lingering in the upper 80s before a high-pressure system returns to dry out and warm the region next week.
The Source: Information in this article is from the FOX 7 Austin weather team.