Rainfall warnings, thunderstorm watches issued across the region
Bands of heavy rain will begin falling Sunday night and Monday morning, according to the warning issued by Environment Canada just after 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Accompanying thunderstorms mean that up to 100 millimetres could come down by Monday afternoon in communities like Cantley, Wakefield, Shawville and Maniwaki, Environment Canada said.
The rain could cause flash floods and localized flooding in low-lying areas, Environment Canada said. People should be on the lookout for washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts.
Storm watches in eastern Ontario
Much of the wider Ottawa-Gatineau area, meanwhile, is under a severe thunderstorm watch.
As of 3:55 p.m. Sunday, that advisory covers an area stretching from Renfrew in the west to Cornwall in the east, and as far south as the Perth area. It also covers the city of Gatineau and parts of the Outaouais to the northeast.
An earlier warning issued for parts of Prescott-Russell has been lifted.
Thunderstorm watches are issued when a severe storm is possible. A warning means one is happening or likely about to happen.
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CNN
41 minutes ago
- CNN
Texas flooding timeline: What happened in the hours before, during and after
Storms Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow For many families, the most serious warnings about the deadly and raging torrent in Texas Hill Country last week came too late. Many were asleep. Others, in a region long accustomed to extreme weather, were kept up by heavy bursts of rain and earsplitting cracks of thunder that shook buildings. 'I thought it was just lightning and thunderstorm,' recalled Caroline Cutrona, a counselor at Camp Mystic, where young girls bonded in rustic cabins with names like the Bubble Inn and the Giggle Box. 'I had no idea of the severity.' She was not alone. Still, state emergency management officials had activated emergency response resources as early as Wednesday evening, warning of potential flooding heading into the July Fourth holiday weekend. The alerts – including critical warnings the National Weather Service said gave preliminary lead times of more than three hours before flash flooding conditions occurred – would grow more dire. Torrential rains transformed the pristine Guadalupe River, unleashing roaring cascades in the predawn hours of Independence Day along 40 miles of Kerr County, claiming at least 103 lives there alone, including 36 children. The confirmed death toll in Texas was 129 as of Friday evening. At least 150 people are still missing statewide – at least 140 of them in Kerr County. More than a summer's worth of rain had fallen in the area overnight into the holiday, swelling part of the river from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes and turning the beloved waterway into a killer. The catastrophic deluge laid waste to communities across Kerr and Kendall counties, where neighborhoods and RV parks, as well as the 18 or so youth camps attended by thousands of kids each summer, were swept away in its fury. 'The first thing I thought, 'This is not real. Wake up, Caroline. Wake up,'' Cutrona told CNN's Anderson Cooper. ''I'm in a dream,' and that's what I wanted it to be.' Here's what we know about how a nightmare scenario unfolded in Texas: 6:29 p.m. CT The Texas Division of Emergency Management announces activation of state emergency response resources in anticipation of 'increased threats of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas heading into the holiday weekend.' It urges residents to 'follow instructions from local officials, make an emergency plan, and prepare an emergency supply kit.' 6:36 a.m. CT The National Weather Service issues short-term guidance, valid until Thursday afternoon, indicating morning thunderstorms and a humid, moist environment capable of producing flooding rainfall. The guidance flags the NWS office for Austin and San Antonio to note the flood risk. 7 a.m. CT The NWS releases a flood outlook noting flash or river flooding is possible in parts of Central Texas over the coming days. It describes a very tropical atmosphere with the potential for producing flooding rainfall in central and southern Texas. 10 a.m. CT County judges and city mayors are invited to join a daily call to discuss weather forecasts. A regional coordinator reached out personally to officials in the area, making sure they 'were aware there could be flooding,' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick later said. 'The message was sent,' Patrick said. 'It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel the need.' 'I will tell you personally, I did not receive a call,' Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. told reporters this week, adding he could not speak for the Kerr County judge. 1:18 p.m. CT The NWS issues a flood watch, highlighting Kerrville, among other locations, as being at risk of flash flooding through the night into Friday. It forecast 5 to 7 inches of rainfall. 6:30 p.m. CT The NWS issues an updated forecast for the Guadalupe River: 'Rapid runoff is expected, with locally considerable flash and urban flash flooding possible … the nocturnal timing will also enhance the hazard potential and impacts.' It notes the potential for a historic rainfall event, though it's unclear if that messaging reached emergency managers. The weather service's forecast offices for Austin, San Antonio and San Angelo, as well as the West Gulf River Forecast Center in Fort Worth, assign extra personnel to work Thursday night into the next day, according to NWS spokesperson Erica Grow Cei. Kerrville Mayor Herring later said he went outside Thursday night before the storm and looked at the sky. 'Partly cloudy. The sky was not angry and I thought to myself, 'someone's going to get rain, but it's probably not going to be us.' And I was wrong,' he said. 'I was awakened in the middle of the night by thunder. I looked outside, we had a light rain. In fact, the city of Kerrville really didn't have a lot of rain until later in the day.' Midnight CT Glenn Juenke, a Camp Mystic staffer, told CNN he was monitoring the rain gauges on the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority's website. 'Many of the rain gauges were out of order or offline and were useless. They provided no information about the level of rainfall upstream of Camp Mystic where I was acting in the capacity of night watchman.' 1:14 a.m. CT The NWS issues a flash flood warning, upgraded from the earlier watch, for parts of Kerr County. 2:30 a.m. CT Lorena Guillen, who owns an RV park and restaurant in Kerrville, told CNN she closed her restaurant around 12:45 a.m. CT after July Fourth celebrations. When rain started to pour heavier over the next two hours, she drove to the edge of the river and observed its height. The water level appeared normal, she said. She called the Kerr County Sheriff's Office to ask whether the Guadalupe would rise with the rain and put her RV tenants in danger. She said she was assured they would be safe. About an hour after the call, Guillen said, she saw lights from a rescue team. One of the park's long-term residents had heard screaming and called 911. 3 a.m. CT At Camp Mystic's Bug House cabin, owner Dick Eastland and his son, Edward, a camp director, helped a group of girls – clutching pillows and blankets – evacuate in ankle-deep water to a nearby recreation hall, a 12-year-old camper told CNN. With the water rapidly rising, the campers spent the night on the second floor, illuminated by flashlights. 'Everyone was scared because there was water coming in,' said the girl, whose mother asked she not be identified to protect her privacy. The girls sang, prayed and slept until about 6 a.m. when the rain stopped. When counselors did a roll call later, the girls realized some campers were missing. At Chatterbox cabin at the same camp, girls screamed as floodwaters swept inside, according to 9-year-old twin sisters who were there. Their mother also asked they not be identified. One twin let campers keep their 'lovies' and 'stuffies' on her top bunk for safety. The twins said they watched a car they believed would rescue them wash away in a surge of water. With counselors, the campers climbed out a window and waded through chest-high waters to higher ground. They later learned three Chatterbox campers were among the missing. 'We didn't know if they got … washed away in the rapids,' one girl said. 'Whenever we were cold, they kept giving us hugs and we were crying, they would always comfort us,' one twin said of the counselors. A rainbow appeared later that morning – which the girls said was 'a sign from God.' 3:27 a.m. CT A local firefighter calls dispatch to report high water on the main highway getting to Hunt, Texas, from the east. 'Yes ma'am … Guadalupe is starting to come up and Schumacher is no longer passable at this time,' the firefighter says, referring to the scenic Schumacher Crossing over the river. 3:30 a.m. CT Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said first responders started to get swept away by floodwaters. 'That's how quick it happened,' Rice said. 'First responders who have experience, who are swift-water qualified.' 3:50 a.m. CT A dispatcher tells first responders about people in distress along State Highway 39, which crosses the Guadalupe and runs through Texas Hill Country: 'We're getting multiple calls off of 39. People are stating their houses are flooding. We're trying to advise them to get to higher area.' About 4 a.m. CT Camp Mystic counselor Caroline Cutrona said the roar of thunder and lighting kept her awake. She noticed the camp had lost power. The cabin, where she watched over 14 girls ages 9 and 10, shook violently. Around the same time, video obtained by CNN shows a cabin at the boys Camp La Junta floating away in the floodwaters. 4:03 a.m. CT The NWS issues a flash flood emergency warning for Kerr County, stating, 'Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation.' 4:22 a.m. CT A firefighter calls dispatch, asking for a CodeRED emergency alert to be issued: 'Is there any way we can send a CodeRED out to our Hunt residents, asking them to find higher ground or stay home?' The dispatcher responds: 'Stand by, we have to get that approved with our supervisor.' 4:45 a.m. CT A gauge along the Guadalupe River, in Kerrville, shows water levels hit 23.4 feet. Water levels in that spot almost certainly crested above 23.4 feet, but the gauge didn't record data for three hours – between 4:45 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. local time –before picking back up its measurement. 5 a.m. CT The raging river bursts from its banks around this time, sweeping homes, cars, campers and cabins downstream. It took about 90 minutes for the 20-foot flood wave to move down the Guadalupe River overnight, triggering the river's second-highest crest on record. 5:03 a.m. CT Kerr Fire dispatch announces: 'The river is completely swollen … there is a car with occupants in it floating down the river.' Rice, the Kerrville city manager, started getting phone calls around 5 a.m. local time. 'By the time we got back out there, the river had already risen 20 or 25 feet. It rose significantly in that amount of time. We almost got stuck when we went back,' he told CNN. 'Nobody could have ever predicted this.' 5:30 a.m. CT Notifications sent by Kendall County indicate the first wireless emergency message for a flood warning was sent to residents at this time. Three more alerts were issued on the wireless warning system between 7 a.m. and 8:06 a.m. CT. Herring, Kerrville's mayor, told reporters: 'I individually did not receive a warning in time. When I woke up, I got a call from the city manager' around 5:30 a.m. local time. He said he went downtown and Louise Hays Park, which is perched on the river, 'was already inundated. That was the first time I knew.' 5:32 a.m. CT A unit identified as 'Utility 51' asks a dispatcher at Kerr County Fire Operations: 'Can you advise who's running command?' Central dispatch responds: 'Sir, we don't have an incident command right now.' 5:34 a.m. CT The NWS issues a more dire flash flood emergency warning of an imminent threat, specifically for Kerrville. 5:57 a.m. CT The US Coast Guard receives an initial call, although their specific launch time is unavailable. What was supposed to be an hourlong flight took between seven and eight hours due to weather conditions, according to the air crew. Around 6 a.m. CT Mayor Herring Jr. told the Texas Tribune he received an alert on his phone from the CodeRED system. 6:02 a.m. CT Video obtained by CNN showed law enforcement officers in Kerr County shouting evacuation orders. 6:31 a.m. CT Kerr County posted on social media: 'Flooding along the Guadalupe River is happening now. Be safe and move to higher ground. Do not drive through water. Turn Around - Don't Drown!' 8:30 a.m. CT The Kerr County Sheriff's Office confirms people have died during the 'catastrophic flooding event' in a post on social media. 'Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground,' the post said. 10:04 a.m. CT A source told CNN affiliate KSAT neither the Kerr County Sheriff's Office nor the Kerrville Police Department sent a CodeRED Alert to some residents until this time. 11:59 a.m. CT Kerr County officials declare a disaster due to 'extreme, life-threatening' flooding. When everyone remaining at Camp Mystic had finished lunch, Cutrona said one of the camp's directors pulled counselors aside and informed them 27 girls and the camp's owner, Dick Eastland, were missing. 'Camp Mystic's the safest place I've ever known, and I just couldn't believe it,' Cutrona said. 6:30 p.m. CT The US Coast Guard's MH-65 air crew arrives in the area and begins to rescue survivors. It is uncertain what time the air crew completed rescue efforts. 'The last live rescue, unless there's new information, and I don't believe there is, was made on Friday,' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said. As searchers agonizingly scour the area for unaccounted flood victims, local officials have been adamant they could not have done more to prevent the tragedy. CNN's Pamela Brown, Andrew Freedman, Emma Tucker, Mary Gilbert, Holly Yan, Alisha Ebrahimji, Alaa Elassar and Dalia Faheid contributed to this report.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Wildlife rescue shelter takes in over 200 animals following Independence Day floods
AUSTIN (KXAN) – As Central Texas grappled with historic flooding over the Independence Day weekend, animal shelters discovered that rain wasn't the only challenge, but also supporting the animals the storm displaced. Austin Wildlife Rescue has taken in over 200 wild animals in the days following the Independence Day floods, bringing the total close to 2,500 animals currently on their premise. This is double what the organization, which spans across 40 Texas counties, typically takes in per day. Jules Maron, Austin Wildlife Rescue's executive director, said it's a common misconception for people to believe that wildlife can handle anything because they are 'wild.' 'When natural disaster or severe weather happens, it's not normal,' Maron said. 'People kind of focus on the 'natural' part of that, versus the disaster part that nobody is equipped to handle.' When intense rain downpours into the homes of wildlife, the flooding causes the animals to escape in any way they can. Animals get hit by cars more often because they're trying to escape their overflown nests, dens and dwellings, Maron said. The most common animals that room and board at Austin Wildlife Rescue are songbirds. Raccoons and opossums follow right after. Maron said that pediatric animals are frequent guests because they can't warm themselves up when they are drenched in water, unlike adult animals that can regulate their body temperatures. Austin Wildlife Rescue housed about 160 animals after the microburst in May. Despite providing housing and food for thousands of wildlife, Maron said they don't turn any away. 'I never like to say that we're at capacity, because we will not turn wildlife away,' Maron said. 'We have dedicated staff that [are] here to take care of them no matter what. We'll be able to make some makeshift caging and habitats on our porch.' As the Central Texas community continues to unite together, Austin Wildlife Rescue grows steadfast in their mission. 'Everything we do is to release this wildlife back into its native Texas environment,' Maron said. The rescue service releases animals at authorized sites that are at least 50 acres and host a permanent source of water. Because there is potential for current release sites to be destroyed from the flooding, Maron said they are always looking for more landowners to register. If wildlife is found, Maron encourages the public to call Austin Wildlife Rescue so they can assess the situation. 'Not every animal needs to come to us,' she said. 'We're happy to talk people through any situation that they're running into with any wildlife they may be encountering.' Maron said Austin Wildlife Rescue can't take all the credit. 'It's really [the public] taking the time and the compassion to bring these animals to us that need help,' she said. 'Nobody wants to see something suffer.' If interested in donating, Austin Wildlife Rescue accepts monetary donations, as well as purchases from their Amazon wishlist. The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter sprung into action over the weekend when flood-prone animal shelters were ordered to evacuate. They took in every animal from Georgetown Animal Shelter on Saturday, said April Peiffer, Williamson County Animal Shelter's community engagement coordinator. On Monday, they repeated the process for Lampasas Animal Shelter when it also had to be evacuated. Since Sunday, nine pets have been returned to their families, according to Peiffer. 'We basically do everything we can to make a reunion happen,' she said. 'For pets found in the Georgetown, Leander or Liberty Hill jurisdictions, we are extending our hold times to help those families be able to reunite.' Austin Pets Alive! has also joined the effort. This morning, around 130 dogs and cats were boarded onto a rescue flight to partnering shelters in Fort Worth and Utah. The purpose is to make room in overwhelmed Central Texas shelters as the number grows for lost and displaced pets. The goal remains the same: reunite. 'We know it might take days, weeks for reunifications to happen, but that's our top priority,' said Clare Callison, the senior director of operations at Austin Pets Alive! 'It's devastating if they go missing, even for a few hours. So I couldn't imagine losing your home, losing family members, loved ones, but also losing your pets, your family members as well.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kerr County warned of ‘monstrous and devastating flash floods'
AUSTIN (KXAN) — While Kerr County officials say they didn't know how bad the July 4 flooding would be, it warned residents nearly eight years ago to 'be flood aware' about the ongoing potential for 'monstrous and devastating flash floods.' 'The topography is favorable for water to not just stagnate but to rush down rivers, creeks and streams,' said Cary Burgess, a Hill Country meteorologist. 'If you get three or four inches of rain at one time, that could be a real serious problem.' Kerr County received as much as three to four times that, according to reports. In September 2017, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority sounded the alarm in an online video produced with Kerr County and the city of Kerrville warning about the dangers of flash floods and its historical precedent posted to YouTube. The video notes Kerr County, and Central Texas, are 'the most flash flood prone area in the United States by the National Weather Service, often referred to as 'Flash Flood Alley' due to its steep terrain and shallow soil. As Kerr County leaders avoid alert questions, new audio surfaces in CodeRED timeline 'Our area has a history of monstrous and devastating flash floods,' the video said. Like a historic flood in August 1978 that killed at least nine people and another flood in July 1987 that killed 10. 'It rained about 15 inches in a matter of three hours,' Burgess said. In 2016, officials discussed flood warning sirens. According to Kerr County Commissioners' Court meeting minutes, one commissioner said at the time: 'The thought of beautiful Kerr County having these damn sirens going off in the middle of the night, I'm going to have to start drinking again to put up with y'all.' In 2018, the county's request for a $1 million grant for a new flood warning system was rejected. So far, Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator William B. 'Dub' Thomas has not said what actions were taken after the first flood alerts came in a week ago. In the 2017 online video, he said it was up to residents to 'heed the warnings' — like not driving across flooded roads. 'It's all about personal accountability,' Thomas said. 'You're responsible for your life, your family's life, the lives of your children.' On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the creation of House and Senate Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. Lawmakers will look at flood warning systems, emergency communications and relief funding during the upcoming special session. 'In the coming year, and into the next regular legislative session,' Patrick said, 'we will gather all the facts and answer the many questions to which the public demands answers.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
