Meteorologists say the Texas Hill Country is frequently hit with floods, although some officials and residents were caught off guard by the catastrophic storms, which killed more than 100 people over the holiday weekend.

The record of frequent, often deadly floods in Central Texas goes back more than 200 years to July 1819, when floodwaters spilled into the major plazas of San Antonio. That city on the edge of the Hill Country was hit by major floods again in 1913, 1921, 1998 and 2025, to cite a few examples.

The flooding Saturday comes on the heels of catastrophic conditions Friday morning in Central Texas, primarily in the Kerrville area. More than 40 people have died in flood waters resulting from heavy rain in Kerr County, while search-and-rescue operations are ongoing. A group of more than 20 girls with Camp Mystic in Kerrville remain missing.