AUSTIN, TEXAS — Some of the most populated cities in Texas are at risk of flooding tonight as heavy rain targets the Interstate 35 corridor on Wednesday, September 30. Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco, Killeen, Austin and San Antonio are all in the danger zone, with rainfall forecasts through Thursday, October 1 showing 2 to 3 inches, locally 4 inches, across North and Central Texas and 3 to 4 inches, locally 6 inches, across south-central Texas. The heaviest totals may stay just west of I-35 as a slow-moving cold front pushes east, while the Gulf Coast gets another round of heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.
Millions Along I-35 in the Flood Zone
Interstate 35 runs through the heart of Texas, connecting some of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. Tonight, that corridor is under the gun as tropical moisture from the remnants of Hurricane Polo and Odalys fuels heavy downpours.
Cities with large amounts of pavement and concrete, like Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio, can see water pile up quickly on roads, in underpasses and along creeks that run through neighborhoods.
Heaviest Rain Just West of I-35
Forecasters say the heaviest rain may fall just west of Interstate 35, as the slow-moving cold front drags a band of storms eastward. That puts the Texas Hill Country and communities west of Austin and San Antonio at the highest risk.
Areas such as Burnet, Marble Falls, Llano, Fredericksburg, Kerrville, Boerne and Bandera sit in the zone where 3 to 4 inches, locally 6 inches, could fall. Rivers and creeks in this region, including the Llano, Pedernales, Guadalupe and Medina, are known for rising rapidly during heavy rain.
San Antonio and Austin Face 3 to 4 Inches
San Antonio and Austin sit on the eastern edge of the heaviest rain band, with forecasts calling for around 3 to 4 inches. Low-water crossings across Bexar, Travis, Hays and Comal counties are especially dangerous tonight…