Record Flooding in the Metroplex Kills at Least One & Leaves Hundreds Scrambling

DALLAS – The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex was hit by a slow-moving thunderstorm system late Sunday night into Monday, resulting in a rain event that established the area's highest 24-hour rainfall amount in 90 years, leaving one dead and causing widespread flash flooding and hundreds of water rescues.

Throughout the day on Monday, the city was brought to a standstill as officials urged motorists to stay off the roads and carried out rescues of those whose vehicles were caught in the floodwaters. Monday evening, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins reported that a 60-year-old woman was killed when her vehicle was swept away in the flooding. Meanwhile, tens of thousands were without power for a time on Monday and air travel at local airports was disrupted.

The heavy rain began under the dark of night on Sunday. Flash flood warnings issued in parts of Dallas late Sunday quickly gave way to nearly 10 inches of rain in a short period near the downtown area, creating submerged roadways and forcing water rescues throughout the area.

Rainfall continued well into Monday, with the total 24-hour rainfall of 9.19 inches as of 2 p.m. local time noted as the second-highest total ever and the most since September 1932, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).