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Flash Floods Trap Cars in Amarillo
13 Jul
Summary
- Heavy rain caused flash floods on Sunday, July 12.
- Drivers on I-40 were stranded by sudden flooding.
- An apartment evacuation and a landspout were reported.
On Sunday, July 12, a potent rainstorm swept through Dumas, Amarillo, and Canyon, leading to flash flood warnings. Around 3:30 p.m., heavy rainfall began, with initial reports indicating half an inch fell within the first hour. This quickly overwhelmed intersections and major roads in Amarillo, including Bell Avenue, Coulter Drive, and Soncy.
Interstates and underpasses, such as the one at Bell & I-40, experienced flooding, trapping vehicles including semi-trucks. An apartment building was reportedly evacuated due to the storm. While some hail was observed, it did not cause significant damage. By 4:48 p.m., doppler radar confirmed thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with accumulated totals reaching two to four inches in many areas.
Further concerns for flash flooding were noted for Palo Duro Canyon, local creeks, streams, and low-lying areas. Around 2:45 p.m. that same day, a landspout was spotted forming near southeast Amarillo. By 5 p.m., West Texas Mesonet recorded 3.04 inches of rain in the south-southeastern part of the city. The storm brought a brief, welcome drop in temperature before ending in Amarillo around 5:15 p.m.
