Austin drought likely to worsen this week, 7 years after floods


Posted: Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:08 AM - 26 Readers

By: Austin-American Statesman


Central Texas is grappling with intensifying drought conditions after 38 days without measurable rain at Austin's main weather sites, pushing the region into a flash drought. About 61% of eastern Travis County is now in severe drought, with the remainder moderately dry or abnormally dry, prompting widespread burn bans across the area except in Hays County. Large cracks are appearing in the ground, and above-average October temperatures have exacerbated the dry spell, with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor update expected to show further worsening.

Just seven years after devastating 2018 floods that inundated the Hill Country and caused the Llano River to rise nearly 40 feet—destroying infrastructure and triggering a citywide water crisis in Austin—the region known as "Flash Flood Alley" highlights Texas weather's extreme swings. This week, high pressure will keep conditions dry through Friday, with muggy highs in the upper 80s to low 90s on Thursday, before a cold front arrives Saturday offering a slim 20% chance of showers and slight cooling. Longer-term outlooks suggest a potentially wetter pattern by late October.



Read Full Story at: Austin-American Statesman

Lake Travis NewsLake Travis News

Alerts

Entertainment

Weather

Sports

Business

Real Estate