Travis, Williamson Counties Under Flash Flood Warning

AUSTIN, TX — The National Weather Service on Tuesday evening issued a flash flood warning for Travis and Williamson counties in effect until 10:45 p.m.

The warning issued at 7:51 p.m. covers a wide wide swath, from southwestern Williamson County to Travis County. The warning comes after Doppler radar at 7:49 p.m. indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area covering most of the Austin metro area, according to meteorologists.

By 8 p.m., up to 2 inches of rain had already fallen upon the area. Some spots could see up to 4 inches of rain before the chance of rain decreases by 9:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Because the soil is already saturated from this weekend's heavy rainfall, flash flooding was expected to begin shortly after the warning was implemented, officials said.

The National Weather Service said a wide expanse of Central Texas could experience flooding, including: Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, Pflugerville, Taylor, Tanglewood Forest, Anderson Mill, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Windemere, Hutto, Lakeway, Manor, Lago Vista, Bee Cave, West Lake Hills, Hudson Bend, The Hills and Liberty Hill.

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"Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding," meteorologists wrote on their website. "Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring, explained meteorologists. "If you are in the warned area move to higher ground immediately. Residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate precautions to protect life and property."

Motorists are strongly advised to visit ATXFloods.com for a check of closed low-water crossings and DriveTexas.org for the latest road conditions in real time. Sixty-nine area low-water crossings had been closed as of 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, rendering them impassable to passenger traffic. Some of the low-water crossings shown on the ATXFloods.com map are outfitted with cameras broadcasting real-time footage, yielding a glimpse into conditions on the ground.

Austin Energy reported a dozen power outages throughout the city affecting nearly 6,000 of its customers as a result of the heavy rain as of 9 p.m., particularly along the southwest corridor. The utility's customers can report an outage by calling 512-494-9400 or clicking here. Austin Energy customers can sign up to receive alerts sent to their cell phones related to power outages by clicking here.

Oncor Energy reported 15 outages during the same time period, affecting 104 customers in Austin. For a map delineating affected areas, click here. Oncor customers can report an outage by calling 1.888.313.4747 or clicking here for more options.