Flood advisory early, heat advisory later for Val Verde County

Storm water threatened the morning commute in northeastern Val Verde County before the county shifted into dangerous afternoon heat. Low-lying areas, arroyos and low-water crossings near Comstock, Juno and Seminole Canyon State Park were the main flood worries early, while Del Rio and the rest of Val Verde County moved under a Heat Advisory by noon.

The National Weather Service issued two Flood Advisories for Val Verde County early June 19, one running from 4:50 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CDT and another from 6:24 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. CDT. Heavy thunderstorms dumped as much as 2 inches of rain across parts of northeastern Val Verde County, and another inch was still possible before the system moved out. In a county defined by long, rural stretches of highway and drainage channels, that meant one flooded crossing could strand a driver or block a route for hours.

Motorists were urged to stay off flooded roadways and remember that water can rise where rain is not falling overhead. That risk was most acute around the remote crossings north and east of Del Rio, where arroyos can fill fast and visibility can change in minutes. Travel toward Seminole Canyon State Park and through the Comstock and Juno areas required extra caution during the morning hours.

By noon, the bigger threat had changed from water to heat. The National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio office posted a Heat Advisory for Val Verde County from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. CDT on June 19 and included Del Rio in the list of cities affected. The advisory covered a broad stretch of South Central Texas, including Williamson County, Hays County, Travis County, Bexar County and Maverick County, as well as Val Verde County.

The safety message for the afternoon was direct: drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. The National Weather Service also stressed that heat stroke is an emergency, a warning that carried extra weight for outdoor crews, construction workers, ranch hands and anyone spending hours on exposed roads or job sites.

Forecast discussion from the Austin/San Antonio office said rain chances continued into early Sunday, with locally heavy rainfall possible, while heat and humidity were expected to persist through the weekend and into early next week, with perhaps a brief break on Saturday. For Val Verde County, that meant the day’s plan had to change twice: first around flood-prone crossings, then around the afternoon heat.