Clouds blanket the upper floors of the Austin skyline as rain continues in Central Texas, bringing the wettest month in the region since last July and marking the transition from the drier La Niña to the wetter El Niño, April 21, 2026.
Heavy rain moved through Central Texas overnight and into Monday morning, prompting flash flood warnings, emergency alerts and dozens of road closures across the Austin area.
The National Weather Service said 1 to 5 inches of rain had fallen in parts of Central Texas, with more possible. Flash flood warnings for Travis, Hays and Williamson counties had expired by midmorning, but a flood watch remained in effect for much of the region through 7 p.m. Tuesday.
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The storm’s main impact in Austin appeared to be flooding at low-water crossings and other flood-prone roads. More than 100 water crossings in the Austin area were closed Monday morning, and officials continued to urge drivers not to cross flooded roads.
Austin’s official Camp Mabry weather station recorded 3 inches of rain by 7 a.m. Monday, setting a daily rainfall record for June 15, according to the National Weather Service. The previous record for the date was 2.56 inches, set in 1964.
At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the weather service recorded 2.22 inches by 7 a.m., just shy of the airport’s June 15 record of 2.35 inches, also set in 1964.
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Totals varied across the area. More than 4.5 inches fell in parts of greater Austin between Sunday night and Monday morning, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Hydromet system, which tracks near-real-time rainfall and stream gauges.
— Mary Wasson, Newsroom Meteorologist; Dante Motley, Breaking News Reporter
Waymo temporarily paused its Austin robotaxi service Monday morning after heavy rain triggered flash flood alerts across Central Texas, a company spokesperson said.
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Chris Bonelli, a spokesperson for the Alphabet-owned company, said Waymo plans to resume service once conditions improve. He said the company is “working as quickly as possible” to reduce the impact on riders who rely on the service.
The Austin pause follows a more serious flooding incident in San Antonio this spring, when an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi entered floodwater and was swept away during severe weather. No injuries were reported, but the incident led Waymo to pause service in San Antonio and later issue a voluntary software recall covering nearly 3,800 robotaxis.
— Karoline Leonard, Technology Reporter; Dante Motley, Breaking News Reporter
The organizers of Hoova’palooza, an outdoor celebration of the almost-30-years of hospitality Hoover Alexander provided at his Hoover’s Cooking on Manor Road, plan to continue the party despite heavy rain in the Austin area.
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The free party, where donations are encouraged, will feature food from some of the city’s top chefs and restaurants. It is slated to go down from 4 to 10 p.m. at 2002 Manor Road.
Este owner Sam Hellman-Mass said organizers have a massive tent ready for rain contingency. The party will feature a cash bar, with all proceeds going to Hoover’s next-step fund, with live funk and blues bands scheduled to perform.
— Matthew Odam, Restaurant Critic
Barton Springs Pool is closed until further notice after overnight rain sent floodwater through the area, Austin Parks and Recreation said Monday morning.
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The city said the pool, one of Austin’s most visited swimming spots, was closed because of flooding from recent rains. No reopening time had been announced as of Monday morning.
The closure came as water managers continued to move runoff through parts of the region. The Lower Colorado River Authority reported one floodgate partially open at Tom Miller Dam, which forms Lake Austin, as of 9:30 a.m. Monday. One floodgate was also partially open at Lake Bastrop, while no floodgate operations were expected at Buchanan, Wirtz, Starcke or Mansfield dams at that time.
The pool often closes after heavy rain and flooding because debris, mud and unsafe water conditions can make the spring-fed swimming area unsafe for visitors until crews can assess and clean it.
— Dante Motley, Breaking News Reporter
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Power outages were limited in Austin Energy’s service area Monday morning, though Pedernales Electric Cooperative and Oncor reported thousands of customers without power earlier in the morning before those numbers began to fall.
Still, at least one rescue was reported in South Austin. Austin-Travis County EMS and the Austin Fire Department responded to Old San Antonio Road near Interstate 35 after a driver became stuck in floodwater at a low-water crossing. ATCEMS said the patient was evaluated for minor complaints.
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