Election night downpours cause flooding around San Antonio

The water was about six inches deep at New Braunfels Avenue near Austin Highway on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, after storms blew through the San Antonio area. The water was about six inches deep at New Braunfels Avenue near Austin Highway on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, after storms blew through the San Antonio area. Photo: Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News Photo: Mark D. Wilson/San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Election night downpours cause flooding around San Antonio 1 / 18 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Rain began falling in buckets in and around San Antonio on Tuesday night.

By 8 p.m., standing water was reported on southbound U.S. 281 between Brookhollow and Bitters, according to a tweet from TxDOT San Antonio. But around 8:45 p.m., southbound U.S. 281 at Brookhollow was closed because of flooding. High water also was reported at Loop 1604 and Gold Canyon, according to a tweet from the National Weather Service's office that serves San Antonio.

Just after 9 p.m., TxDOT San Antonio tweeted that San Antonio Police were closing the lower level of Interstate 35 at San Pedro Avenue and eastbound Interstate 10 at UTSA Boulevard.

The lower level of I-10 westbound in downtown San Antonio was closed for high water around 10 p.m., TxDOT San Antonio tweeted. It was reopened 30 minutes later.

Heavy rains continue to pelt Bexar, Guadalupe and Comal counties as a flash flood warning now is in effect until midnight.

The weather service had predicted heavy rain — anywhere from 2 to 4 inches, with isolated totals of 7 inches — would fall in portions of South Central Texas.

“An approaching upper-level storm system and cold front, combined with increasing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific will lead to widespread rains across South Central Texas late Tuesday into Wednesday morning,” an afternoon weather briefing from Paul Yura, a warning coordination meteorologist at the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio, said.

The report said the areas of concern that could get the highest totals is along and east of the Interstate 35 corridor and south of Highway 90. High rain rates, in excess of 1 to 2 inches per hour, are possible.

The report warned that increased flows on creeks and low-water crossings with flash flooding are possible in rural and urban areas, with some roads becoming impassable. Dangerous lightning and gusty winds are expected to accompany the thunderstorms, the report said.

The weather service said the front and associated heavy rain will start to shift east and south Wednesday morning into the Coastal Plains of Texas.

ezavala@express-news.net

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