Flash Flood — Potter, Texas

2002-07-22 · near Amarillo, Potter, Texas

Event narrative

Underpasses in the city of Amarillo were flooded and motorists were stranded. One forty-nine year old adult male was killed during a rescue attempt after the motorist attempted to drive through a flooded underpass. Water continued to rise rapidly to a height of approximately fourteen feet. The victim could not swim.

Wider weather episode

A line of thunderstorms containing very heavy rainfall moved up from the south across the south central Texas panhandle during the early evening hours. The very heavy rains produced major flooding which resulted in the death of a man. Severe thunderstorms containing damaging winds raked across the eastern Texas panhandle a short time later in the evening.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5307358. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.