More Road Closures Due to Flooding

SAN ANGELO, TX — US 87 north of Grape Creek has been closed due to flooding. This adds to the three other major roadways in the county that are experiencing flooding. The sheriff said those roads, FM 2105, SH 208 and now FM 2288 are not passable.

Meanwhile, some schools and organizations are calling for delays in opening for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, for the amount of rain we are experiencing. The San Angelo Police Department sent a notification out at 8:10 p.m. warning everyone to avoid low water crossings until 11 p.m. due to heavy rainfall.

Here are rain delays that have been called in so far. Email [email protected] if you have a delay for tomorrow morning to report.

• Grape Creek ISD - All schools: School opens at 10 a.m. and buses run two hours late.
• Water Valley ISD -  School has been canceled, along with practices and games. Flooding northwest of San Angelo is worse than in town.
• Veribest ISD -  Buses will run two hours late and will drop off at the cafeteria. School starts at 10 a.m.
• Paint Rock ISD - 2-hour delay tomorrow. Buses will run 2 hours later than normal and classes will start at 10 a.m.
• Miles ISD - Miles ISD announced this morning that the district is canceling school. 
• Irion County ISD - Canceled. No school today.

Weather Updates:

8:30 p.m. — Mathis Field weather is 700 feet overcast and 3 statute miles visibility caused by moderate rain showers and mist. Winds are out of the northeast at 6 knots. Forecast weather is for it to rain all night long and by 5 a.m. Tuesday there are no changes. Weather radar indicates a static system of rain showers stretching from Lubbock to San Angelo to Del Rio. Maximum tops of the showers is 30,000 feet. 

9:00 p.m. — Northern Tom Green County, Coke County and areas north are experiencing excessing rainfall. As of 9 p.m., 2.86 inches of rain was measured for today at Mathis Municipal Airport in southwest San Angelo. Some rain gages in northern Tom Green County are seeing as much as 5 inches, according to the San Angelo National Weather Service. At Fort Chadbourne, just north of Bronte, 3.25 inches has fallen today. Sterling City is at 3.24 inches as well.

A flash flood warning is in effect for Brown, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Concho, Crockett, Irion, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Nolan, Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Sterling, Sutton, Taylor and Tom Green counties.

The weather observer said that the rain is caused by a stationary area of moisture blockaded by a weak low pressure area west of Midland and very moist air flowing up underneath the low pressure area from the northeast. No thunderstorms are building, just heavy rainshowers.

9:05 p.m. — The sheriff released this statement: "Avoid northern part of Tom Green County. All roads are flooded. The primary roads to avoid are FM 2105 and State Hwy 208. All roads in Carlsbad and Quail Valley are flooded and rushing over the roads."

9:30 p.m. — The San Angelo NWS issued a flash flood warning and extended it to 10:15 p.m. "Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 6 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly." 

The sheriff announced the FM 2288 is flooded. "Water is rushing over," the alert stated. This is in addition to flooding the sheriff reported on FM 2105 and SH 208 in northern Tom Green County.

10:10 p.m. — The sheriff said US 87 from Grape Creek and north is not passable due to flooding.  Rain continued to pour down across the region with northern Tom Green County apparently getting the worst of the rainfall. Many readers have emailed or texted us photos of rain gages exceeding 6 inches across the area. The San Angelo NWS extended its flash flood warning (above) until 11:15 p.m.

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

9:30 a.m. — FM 1692, McMillian Road Douglas Loop area is flooded and unpassable according to the sheriff. 

9:50 a.m. — The current observation at Mathis Municipal Airport is overcast at 400 feet, winds are out of the east-northeast at 5 knots, moderate rain. The forecast calls for more of the same into the afternoon.

10:30 a.m. — Traffic has been slowed considerably on US 67 about 2 miles northeast of Miles, where water is rushing over the highway. A line of vehicles was waiting as others slowly made their way through the water. A few vehicles were stalled or stopped along the shoulder.

3 p.m. - The San Angelo Police Department has issued an advisory at 3:11 p.m. on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, announcing the closure of Ben Ficklin Road due to flooding. The road will remain closed until further notice.