South Texas bracing for more flash flooding; governor bolsters emergency response

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Heavy rain on Sunday in parts of southern Texas is prompting flash-flood threats that are expected to stretch into Monday and could produce rainfall totals of 7 to 9 inches. A flood watch remains in effect on Sunday after multiple days of rainstorms have saturated the ground across the South Texas region. Corpus Christi, Laredo, San Antonio, Brownsville and Kerrville are among the South Texas cities under a flood watch through Monday morning, where widespread rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches are likely.

Some areas could receive 7 to 9 inches of rainfall from slower-moving and training storms. Potential rainfall in southern Texas through Monday, November 9, 2026. ABC News Some areas of South Texas have already gotten more than 5 inches of rain since Sunday morning, including areas east of Laredo to near Kingsville. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected through Sunday evening for some parts of southern Texas that will linger into Monday morning's commute.

For the remainder of Sunday, a level 2 of 4 threat for flash flooding is in effect across southern Texas, including Brownsville, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Kerrville. Rainfall rates at times could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour. Flash flood threat in southern Texas on Sunday, November 8, 2026. ABC News On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to bolster its emergency response to the ongoing flooding threat.

Related Catastrophic flooding leads to closure of cities in Georgia, Tennessee “The State of Texas is prepared to respond to the threat of heavy rainfall and flash floods across South and West Texas," Abbott said in a statement . "I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to mobilize additional state emergency response resources to support local officials and help protect Texans. I urge all Texans to remain weather-aware, monitor local forecasts, avoid flooded roadways, and heed guidance from state and local officials.”

Flood waters cover parts of McCaysville, Ga., Nov. 5, 2026, after heavy rain moves the area overnight. Tracey Trumbull/Local 3 News via AP Photo The flooding threat in Texas comes just days after catastrophic flooding along the Tennessee-Georgia border , prompting numerous water rescues, officials said. Popular Reads 81-year-old man tied up, tortured with hot syrup after being lured to home: Sheriff 2 days ago Thomas Markle Sr. arrested, charged with possession of child pornography Nov 6 Captain identified after deadly Florida Learjet crash Nov 3 Emergency officials ordered residents in McCaysville, Ga., and Copperhill, Tenn., to evacuate on Thursday.

The two cities experienced catastrophic flooding after 6 to 9 inches of rain fell over several hours, leading the Ocoee River to rise to a record 18.05 feet. The Ocoee River's previous record crest was 17.8 feet, reached on Feb. 16, 1990.

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What we found (1)

ABC News reports days of heavy rain and a flash flood threat across South Texas, Governor Abbott's emergency order, and record flooding on the Tennessee-Georgia border days earlier. The article never says that warming makes heavy rainfall and floods like these more frequent or more severe, even while it reports a river breaking its 1990 record. The weather facts and the governor's statement are reported straight.

Leaves out the climate link
Serious
“Heavy rain on Sunday in parts of southern Texas is prompting flash-flood threats that are expected to stretch into Monday and could produce rainfall totals of 7 to 9 inches.”
Why this matters
The opening sentence sets up an extreme rainfall story: heavy rain, flash flood threats and totals of 7 to 9 inches. It presents this as weather and nothing more.
The impression it gives
A reader takes the Texas deluge as an ordinary weather event with no wider cause.
The context
Human-caused warming has made heavy rainfall more frequent and more intense. The article has no word on this anywhere, though it reports multiple days of storms that have saturated the ground.
How we know
- On the recordThat warming has made hot extremes, heavy rainfall, agricultural and ecological drought, fire weather and intense tropical cyclones more frequent or more severe.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
- Elsewhere in the article“after multiple days of rainstorms have saturated the ground”
- Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “warming”.
Show it in the article
“The two cities experienced catastrophic flooding after 6 to 9 inches of rain fell over several hours, leading the Ocoee River to rise to a record 18.05 feet.”
Why this matters
Here the article reports a record river crest and calls the flooding catastrophic. It sets this beside the old 1990 record and stops there.
The impression it gives
A reader sees a broken record as a one-off, with nothing linking it to a pattern of worsening downpours.
The context
Warming is making heavy rainfall more severe, which is the context for a record flood. The article compares the crest with the 1990 record but never mentions warming.
How we know
- On the recordThat warming has made hot extremes, heavy rainfall, agricultural and ecological drought, fire weather and intense tropical cyclones more frequent or more severe.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
- Elsewhere in the article“previous record crest was 17.8 feet”
- Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “warming”.
Show it in the article
Written straight
Up to 9 inches of rain could fall in parts of South Texas through Monday, days after record flooding on the Tennessee-Georgia border. Climate change is making heavy downpours like these more frequent and more intense.

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South Texas bracing for more flash flooding; governor bolsters emergency response

Leaves out the climate link

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