Flash Flood in Cameron County, Texas

One day after 3 to more than 5 inches fell between Brownsville and Los Fresnos during the afternoon and early evening hours, a repeat event occurred, fed by deep tropical moisture and multiple boundaries left behind from devastating morning flooding across western Cameron and eastern Hidalgo County. A persistent line of torrential rainfall dominated through the early evening commute, with another 3 to 6 inches having fallen for a two-day total of 6 to 11+ inches. The second day rainfall produced more widespread flooding across locations in and east of Brownsville and Los Fresnos, with farm and subdivisions under 2 to 3+ feet of water when all was said and done. ||The additional flooding on saturated soils (pump priming from June 19) likely produced more damage this second go-round, including more erosion to drainage canals/ditches and mainly rural roads. Doubling of the damage left a total of around $20 million.

A band of thunderstorms, moving slowly from west to east, intersected the sea breeze and stalled between Brownsville and Los Fresnos, dumping 3 to 5 or more inches of rainfall in a 2 to 3 hour period, causing significant street flooding and some road closures. Flood prone roads, including Morrison Blvd. in north Brownsville was closed due to 3 feet of water; Dennet road nearby was also covered in 2 to 3 feet of water. Other roads between North Brownsville and Los Fresnos were flooded with an unknown amount of water depth. Several to dozens of vehicles were flooded, with damage unknown as of this writing.

Much of greater Brownsville, particularly along and west of Paredes Line Road (FM 1847), was quickly inundated by one to four feet of water after nearly three hours of torrents dropped four to more than six inches of rain during the mid-afternoon. Numerous vehicles were flooded. A school bus became trapped near Price Road and southbound U.S. 77 Frontage. The flooding was most severe in the Galaxia Colonia. Dozens of properties had some water inundation, particularly west of U.S. 88. In west Brownsville, a resaca overflowed its banks and flooded Laredo Road. Numerous roads were inundated, including U.S. 77 just south of the 511 interchange, the intersection of 511 and Paredes, and Alton Gloor near U.S. 77.