Flash Floods Surge: Rain Breaks Century-Old Record Twice Over

SAN ANGELO, Texas ( Concho Valley Homepage — This marked the quiet following the turmoil. The Concho Valley experienced significant moisture saturation due to approximately one to two inches of rainfall within a span of mere hours, as reported by the San Angelo National Weather Service (SAN WS). Notably, the city itself bore the heaviest precipitation, averaging around 2 to 3 inches.

The National Weather Service reported an official rainfall amount of 3.19 inches in San Angelo during the night.

Which is more than double the old record by 1.5 inches set in 1926.

Elizabeth Todd pulled up to her job at Unlimited Air to a steady flow of fast-moving water.

“Mind blown, the way the water is going across the road, it’s like a shock,” she said.  “It flooded like this another time, I’m not sure how many years ago, but I think this is worst. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this bad. “

San Angelo Patrol Officer Che Gonzales tasked with making sure vehicles don’t attempt to breach the water that covered the roadway.

“He mentioned, ‘It rained quite heavily last night,’ adding that unfortunately, the roads and all the rest don't drain anywhere near as effectively as they ought to.”

The water was extremely high and flowed so rapidly that it appeared as though a river was surging down S. Jackson Street between Bryant Boulevard and Knickerbocker Road, leading to a water rescue, as reported by Gonzales.

A pickup truck drove through and ended up getting trapped, and the fire department had to respond since the Red Arroyo started overflowing," he explained. "The water reached nearly knee-high, sometimes even up to mid-thigh when they attempted to walk through.

The police employed their vehicles as temporary barriers until proper barricades could be set up to deter drivers from attempting to navigate through the flooded areas.

A few motorists, located roughly five miles from here on Armstrong Street, chose to take their chances by disregarding the vividly hued traffic barrels and driving around them instead.

According to Public Information Officer Sgt. John Bouligny with the San Angelo Police Department going around a blockade has consequences.

“He mentioned that driving through a regular barricade could result in a fine,” she stated. “However, if it involves a water hazard, it becomes a Class B misdemeanor, which could lead to either a warning or even imprisonment.”

Circumventing a barrier might not just get you into legal trouble; it could also endanger your life. This concept is something Todd mentioned they find hard to comprehend.

“I don’t know what makes people think they can get through that,” she said.  “Turn around don’t drown.”

According to SAPD three water rescue calls to dispatch were executed due to the heavy rain which includes the one mentioned above.

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