Flash Flood — Hidalgo, Texas

2015-10-24 · near Progreso, Hidalgo, Texas

Event narrative

After hours of rainfall the nuisance flooding became a flash flood. Several inches to at least a foot of water rose into homes in the Las Brisas subdivision on the east side of town, with three to five feet of water on neighborhood streets. At least three feet of water submerged vehicles along the frontage roads between the Westgate and Airport Road exits during the peak of the flash flooding. Additional high water closed portions of FM 1015 between Weslaco and Progresso (which also had flash flooding of unknown depth)and FM 493 near Donna. At least 26 separate boat rescues were made in flooded neighborhoods and more than 500 homes were impacted by some level of floodwater.

Wider weather episode

Bands of thunderstorms pushed across Hidalgo County as pieces of upper level energy linked up with the remaining moisture of Hurricane Patricia. These bands began dropped rainfall at a one to two inch rate per hour for hours across southeastern Hidalgo County. Nuisance flooding soon became a flash flood, with numerous water rescues from flooded neighborhoods. An estimated and measured ten to twelve plus inches of rain fell in the Weslaco/Progresso area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (26.0458, -98.0928)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 605973. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.