The North Texas area got its fair share of rain on Saturday as day-long downpours caused flight delays, car crashes, and flooding in some areas.
Heavy rains spurred significant flooding in the Dallas area, including along the Trinity River. Tens of thousands of area residents also lost power on Saturday, with Oncor reporting more than 1,000 customers still without electricity as of 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
“At 35.0 feet, Some low water crossings inundated with cattle and grazing and low water areas under water,” the National Weather Service (NWS) posted, as reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Do not drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.”
The Trinity River rose from 27.3 feet on Saturday to over 35 feet by the following day as drainage continued to swell the already full river, reported The Dallas Morning News.
NWS said the weekend’s storms broke an 82-year-old record for rainfall. A measured 2.34 inches fell at DFW International Airport, smashing the previous record of 1.52 inches. Love Field recorded 4.22 inches on Saturday, per DMN.
Hundreds of flights at DFW International Airport and Love Field were canceled due to flooding on Saturday. DFW reported 550 cancellations and nearly 800 delays. Love Field reported two dozen cancellations and 200 delays because of flooding, DMN reported.
The wet conditions likely contributed to a number of collisions on Dallas-area roads. On Saturday, MedCor reported it had addressed double the number of collisions the previous week, totaling 40. The crashes sent at least two dozen people to the emergency room.
NWS cautioned drivers to slow down in flooded areas to reduce the likelihood of hydroplaning and driving into deep water areas to prevent getting stranded.
Dallas is expected to get a brief respite from storms on Monday and Tuesday, but thunderstorms will likely return on Wednesday.