Weather / Floods & hurricanes

Water is the deadliest.

Flooding is the hazard that kills the most Texans - more than any storm. Whether it's a flash flood in the Hill Country or a hurricane on the coast, the rules that save lives are the same: never enter floodwater, and leave when you're told to.

Flash floods

Flooding is Texas's deadliest weather hazard - the state leads the nation in flood deaths - and the Hill Country is one of the most flash-flood-prone regions in the country (often called 'Flash Flood Alley'). Creeks and rivers can rise feet in minutes, sometimes from rain falling miles upstream under clear skies. In July 2025, the Guadalupe River rose roughly 26 feet in under an hour overnight, killing at least 139 people - one of the deadliest floods in Texas history.

• -Low-water crossings (the dips where a road runs through a creek bed) are where people die - more than half of Texas flood deaths happen in vehicles. If a crossing is covered, turn around and find another way.
• -Barricaded roads are barricaded for a reason - going around one is illegal in Texas and can be fatal.
• -Get to high ground immediately if water is rising or a warning is issued - don't wait. And never camp in a dry creek bed in flood country (see the Rivers hub).

More on river and swimming-hole safety in the Rivers hub.

Hurricanes & tropical storms

The Texas coast is hurricane country. The season runs June 1 to November 30, most active from mid-August through mid-October and peaking around September 10.

• -Storm surge - a wall of seawater pushed ashore - is the classic deadliest threat near the coast. But in recent years, inland rain flooding has become the leading hurricane killer: a stalled storm can drown areas hundreds of miles from the coast.
• -Prepare inland too. Hurricanes drive flooding, wind damage, tornadoes, and long power outages well inland - have your kit and plan ready across the eastern half of the state.
• -Before the season, know your route and stock up. When a storm is named, watch the National Hurricane Center and your local officials closely (see the Coast hub).

Your evacuation zone is set by your county - there's no single statewide lookup, so find your local Office of Emergency Management. More coastal safety in the Coast hub.