Texas Flash Floods: Understanding the Sudden Surge

Fast Summary:

• Flash floods occur when heavy rainfall exceeds the ground’s ability to absorb water, causing rapid accumulation in low-lying areas.
• In Hunt, Texas, on July 4-5, 2025, the Guadalupe River rose by 26 feet in just 45 minutes due to intense rains.
• Rainfall rates in the region reached six to ten inches within three hours during the event.
• At least 90 fatalities were reported as of Monday afternoon following these record-breaking floods.
• Factors contributing to flash flooding include saturated or hardened soils due to prior weather conditions adn urban landscapes with impervious surfaces like pavement.
• Research highlighted that storms moving along river flows amplify flood severity compared to those moving against it.
• Data showed Guadalupe River levels increased from 7.7 feet with a flow rate of eight cubic feet per second early Friday morning to over 29 feet and a flow rate of 120,000 cubic feet per second within hours.

Source contains technical input from meteorologist Alan Gerard and emphasizes the immense power and destructive capacity of rapidly moving floodwaters.

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