In the aftermath of the 2025 Texas floods, a look back at some of the most destructive and defining flood events in the state’s weather history.

Texas has identified more than $50 billion in flood control needs, but lawmakers have devoted just $1.4 billion to address them

As a climate scientist who calls Texas home, I can tell you that the Hill Country of Texas is no stranger to flooding. Meteorologists often refer to it as “Flash Flood Alley” because of its steep terrain, shallow soils, and its history of sudden and intense rainfall.

One month before the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Black residents across southern Louisiana braced for their first tropical disturbance of hurricane season. The storm threatened to bring flash flooding across the coast from Mississippi to the center of Louisiana.

The Coalition of Natural Resource groups and experts will hold a press conference later Friday morning in Comfort. They will speak on reducing flood risk, which could potentially protect lives. The group wants immediate action among local leaders to prioritize smarter land management.

But as many as 14.6 million properties -- nearly 70% more than are in FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Areas -- may actually be at significant risk of flooding, according to First Street's modeling.

On July 4, a horrific flash flood occurred in central Texas, mainly impacting Kerr County. The heavy rain started at about 3 a.m., resulting in rainwater surging down mountain slopes, causing the waters in the Guadalupe River to rise by eight metres very quickly.

Flash flooding in cities throughout the U.S. might just be the new normal but most of this country is still not ready for it, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Mark Gongloff writes.

The federal response to the flash flooding disaster in Texas has come under scrutiny. President Trump, who has called for cuts to FEMA, praised the agency during his recent visit to Texas, but did not comment on his plans for its future.

Kerr County failed to secure a warning system, even as local officials remained aware of the risks and as billions of dollars were available for similar projects.

This sort of flash flooding might just be the new normal, if you can use such a term to describe the phase we’re experiencing as we transition to a future normal of even worse disasters after even more warming.