Published July 17, 2026 at 6:08 PM CDT

The heavy rains that swept through large swaths of Central and West Texas overnight Thursday and into Friday morning have moved further west, according to the National Weather Service.

Several counties surrounding the Midland and Odessa are under a flood watch through early Friday evening.

Multiple rivers in Texas, including the Guadalupe, Pedernales, Nueces, Rio Grande, San Antonio, Llano and Frio rivers remain under flood warnings.

A flood watch means that flooding is possible. A flash flood warning means sudden and violent flooding is already happening or is expected to happen soon.

Thursday's dangerous flash flooding caused two deaths in the Kerrville and Uvalde areas.

Kerrville resident John Mark Steward was inside his home when it was overtaken by water Thursday, his wife Jennie Steward posted to social media.

Patricia Lim/KUT News

Flood debris covers a bridge in Kerrville after waters receded from flooding.

A 74-year-old man also died about four miles north of Uvalde on Thursday morning after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, the Uvalde Police Department said.

Flooding also led to evacuations, hundreds of rescues, and damage to roads and buildings. Floodwaters along the Nueces River have destroyed part of the FM 481 bridge southwest of Uvalde, and people living along the highway could face significant detours.

Lower Colorado River Authority officials expect the heavy rains to bring Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan to 100% capacity for the first time since 2019. The agency plans to open two Mansfield Dam floodgates Saturday morning and early afternoon to manage the floodwaters.

The Mansfield Dam is one of a series of dams built across the Colorado River that form the Highland Lakes.

Some cities in Texas, including Ingram, Uvalde and Kerrville, saw more than 20 inches of rain between Monday and Thursday, according to preliminary NWS data. The NWS is urging people in affected areas to stay out of flood waters as they can contain dangerous chemicals, live wires, harmful bacteria, sewage and sharp objects.

Gov. Greg Abbott requested a presidential disaster declaration for dozens of counties in Southwest Texas to provide aid to the region and kickstart the recovery process.

The week of intense rainfall comes a little more than a year after the Fourth of July weekend floods that killed more than 130 people in Texas.

The forecast in Central Texas, including in the Kerrville and Uvalde areas, is hot and dry next week.

This story has been updated.

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