A “large and deadly flood wave” surged down the Guadalupe River Thursday as Texas Hill Country braced for another terrifying round of flooding in the same region still haunted by last year’s disaster.
Flash flood emergencies, the National Weather Service’s most serious flood warning, were issued early Thursday as slow-moving storms dumped several inches of rain in just a few hours.
The Guadalupe River at Comfort, Texas, rose more than 25 feet in one hour and topped levels reached during last year’s deadly floods.
Some parts of southern Texas have already seen up to 20 inches of rain since Monday night, more than half a year’s worth in just a few days.
The National Weather Service issued a blunt warning for Uvalde County.
“This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!” the National Weather Service said.
The agency said flash flooding was already happening, with numerous water rescues and structures affected by water.
“Flash flooding is already occurring with numerous water rescues and structures impacted by water. Numerous roads around the county are flooded including Hwy 90. Travel is discouraged except to reach higher ground,” the warning said.
The flooding hit a region still scarred by last year’s July Fourth floods, which killed more than 130 people, including 25 girls and two counselors at Camp Mystic.
In Kerrville, floodwater rushed beneath bridges and carried debris down the swollen Guadalupe River.
Horrible flooding in Comfort, TX this morning where the Guadalupe River rose 30 feet in two hours! #TXwx #flooding pic.twitter.com/fcGaUiJrkq
— Clint Hendricks IV 🌪️ (@Clint_wx) July 16, 2026
A barge from Nimitz Lake broke free and was swept 4.5 miles down the river before getting lodged under the Sidney Baker Street Bridge near Louise Hays Park, CNN affiliate KABB reported.
The bridge was closed after water surged beneath it, Kerrville officials said.
At Howdy’s restaurant and RV park in Kerrville, owner Lorena Guillen said there was major flooding, but everyone was safe.
The RV park was also hit during last year’s catastrophic flooding, when vehicles with people inside were trapped by the rising Guadalupe River.
Guillen said the warning system was different this time.
Sirens went off around 2 a.m. along the river, she said, giving people time to react.
Last year, she said, warnings did not come until it was too late.
Several dump trucks were washed away, Guillen said.
She tried to warn the owners to move them, but they could not get them out in time.
Drone footage of severe flash flooding in Uvalde, TX. E Main Street is underwater and impassable in front of Hobby Lobby. Level 4 out of 4 flood risk with more than 10 inches of rain on the ground. *Authorized by DHS to fly* #TXwx #flooding #Uvalde pic.twitter.com/T4VQGvQ13X
— Chris Weather Chasing (@ChistianChevres) July 14, 2026
The Guadalupe River in Comfort preliminarily reached 36.19 feet at 7:20 a.m. Thursday, surpassing the 35.64-foot crest from the July 4, 2025, floods.
That made it the fourth-highest flood on record in Comfort, still more than 6 feet below the record set in July 1869.
Upstream in Hunt and Kerrville, river levels peaked much lower than last year’s catastrophic floods, reaching moderate flood stage earlier Thursday morning.
But officials warned the danger was not over.
More heavy rain was spreading across Uvalde County, where forecasters expected another 2 to 4 inches on top of already saturated ground.
Thousands of Texans were without power as water rescues and evacuations continued.
Residents in the hardest-hit areas were urged to shelter in place or move to higher ground, depending on local orders and conditions.
The National Weather Service warned people not to attempt travel unless they were fleeing flood danger or under an evacuation order.
The message from emergency officials was simple and deadly serious: do not drive through flooded roads.
Texas has seen this nightmare before.
Now, barely a year after the Guadalupe River turned deadly, the same red-state communities are once again watching the water rise and praying the warnings came soon enough.
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