We've had a record number of flash flood warnings this year
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National Weather Service offices have issued a record number of year-to-date flash flood warnings in 2025 as storms have brought devastating and deadly rainfall to Texas, the Northeast and elsewhere.
Why it matters: The numbers reflect the recent above-average rainfall we've had in parts of the country, with some slow-moving storms dropping lots of water relatively quickly.
- Along with factors like topography, geology and drought, that can lead to major and sometimes fatal flash flooding events — as happened over the July 4 weekend in Texas' Hill Country, where at least 134 people were killed.
By the numbers: NWS offices issued 3,160 flash flood warnings nationwide this year through July 16, according to a tracker at Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
- That's the most for that period in any year since records began in 1986.
- Flash flood warnings are issued when such an event is imminent or already occurring.
Between the lines: Climate change can amplify rain events, as warmer air can hold more water.
What they're saying: "2025 has been the year of the flood," meteorologist Michael Lowry writes.
What's next: More flash flood warnings could come this week as a tropical system threatens to drop as much as eight inches of rain across coastal Louisiana.
Go deeper: Why flash floods like those in Texas and New York are becoming more common
