BLANCO COUNTY, Texas – This is an anniversary we revisit every year. It’s a somber one, but a necessary reminder.
Flash flooding is the number one weather threat we face in South-Central Texas.
This reminder is especially important now, because we are coming off several years of drought. It’s been a while since we’ve had a flash flood event, but, unfortunately, we are due. It’s worth noting that in 2015 we were in an El Nino pattern and it was a very wet year. We are set to enter into El Nino conditions this summer.
Back in 2015, at this point in May, we had already seen healthy rains. The grounds were saturated. Then came May 23 when heavy rain and severe weather began during the afternoon hours. Rainfall totals and rainfall rates were impressive, with widespread 6 to 8 inches. However, there was a bullseye in Blanco County and far northeastern Kendall County totaling 10 to 13 inches. This heavy rain fell in the Blanco River watershed and combined with terrain to create a wall of water. Amazingly, the Blanco River rose from 5 feet at 9 p.m. to 41 feet by 1 a.m. the river rose 5 feet every 15 minutes from 10:45 p.m. to 11:45 p.m..
Sadly, with it being Memorial Day weekend, many people were staying along the river. The rapid rise caught many off-guard and the flood took 13 lives. That included eight in one home where two families were staying for the holiday weekend.
It’s a night that is forever burned in my mind, covering the event. When I saw the river gauge that night and its reading, I remember it sent a chill through me. The event was devastating for the Hill Country. I hope and pray we never seen a flood like that again, but history tells us we need to be prepared.
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