Travis, Williamson Counties Under Flash Flood Watch

AUSTIN, TX — A flash flood watch is in effect for a large swath of Central Texas, including Austin, until 1 p.m. on Thursday, officials said.

The National Weather Service implemented the watch amid strong rain that began early Wednesday morning. An earlier flash flood warning for the Austin metro area and west of Interstate 35 expired earlier in the day.

The rainfall weakened by by around noon on Wednesday only to return in force about an hour later. Earlier, weather officials downplayed assessments of an immediate flooding threat to Travis and Williamson counties but still urged motorists to drive safety while remaining vigilant to low water crossings.

"Moderate to heavy rains can be expected across much of South Central Texas" meteorologists with the National Weather Service wrote. These will likely cause flash flooding. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through 1 PM CDT on Thursday for areas along and north of a Del Rio to San Antonio to Georgetown line, including the Austin and San Antonio Metro areas."

Rainfall totals for Wednesday through Thursday are expected to be between two to five inches with isolated totals of up to eight inches within the watch area, according to the National Weather Service.
For a list of closed low water crossings, visit ATXfloods.com.

Difference between Flood Watch and Flood Warning

On its website, the National Weather Service defines the differences between a flash flood warning and flash flood watch.

• Flash Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain. Flash Flood Warnings are changing to an Impact-Based format to improve public response. Read the factsheet.
• Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.
• Flood Watch: Be Prepared: A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
• Flood Advisory: Be Aware: An Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.