SAN ANGELO, TX — Flash flood emergencies are in effect Friday morning for the Texas towns of Sonora and Ozona amid ongoing heavy rainfall that has flooded numerous roads and prompted evacuations and swift-water rescues.
The National Weather Service office in Abilene/San Angelo said the emergency for Sonora expires at 10:15 a.m. CDT and the one for Ozona at 11:45 a.m. CDT. Officials described the situations as life-threatening and urged residents to move immediately to higher ground and avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
A broader Flood Watch remains in effect for most of west-central Texas through Friday afternoon. Slow-moving showers and thunderstorms are expected to produce an additional 2 to 5 inches of rain, with isolated totals of 7 to 10 inches or more possible. Total rainfall since the start of the event could reach 4 to 8 inches, with locally higher amounts exceeding 10 inches.
The Llano River near Junction is forecast to rise above its moderate flood stage of 22 feet late Friday morning before falling back below that level by late afternoon. As of 7:30 a.m. CDT, the river stood at 15.01 feet and was still rising, according to the NWS.
The NWS said heavy rainfall rates combined with the slow-moving storms have created favorable conditions for flash flooding across the region. Residents are advised never to drive onto roads covered by water.
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