AUSTIN, Texas — Heavy rainfall on Monday evening caused Shoal Creek to overflow over the hike-and-bike trail and into the Colorado River in Downtown Austin.
Sensors at the location indicate Shoal Creek at West 12th Street spiked to over 16 feet in its major flood stage, at 16.37 feet. This ranks as the fourth highest gauge height on record at the site. The record is 23.11 feet in 1981.
KVUE spoke with one local business near the overflow who chose to board up their building in case waters in the area continue to rise.
The rainfall prompted a Flash Flood Warning for Travis County through 7:15 p.m. Meanwhile, a Flood Watch remains in effect through 1 p.m. Wednesday. An area Flood Advisory will also remain in effect until 6:30 p.m. for Travis and Williamson counties.
As of 6:15 p.m. Monday, rainfall totals showed a new daily record of 3.69 inches at Camp Mabry and 1.98 inches at Austin airport. Some of the highest LCRA gauges recorded up to 4.44 inches in Central Texas.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reports that although Shoal Creek did rise rapidly, there are many other creeks that are flooding in the Austin area. To keep an eye on road closures in the area due to flooding, click here.
The rain is expected to calm down overnight. However, the Austin area could wake up to more rainfall on Tuesday.
As temperatures heat up during the afternoon, we will continue monitoring chances for another round of heavier storms with a flood risk and the potential for gusty winds. Smaller rain chances also continue into the week.
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