A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Andrews County, Texas right now, issued by the National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa at 8:04 PM CDT on Saturday, September 19, and running until 9:45 PM CDT. Radar-indicated thunderstorms are producing heavy rain across the warned area, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is the exact interior flooding scenario restoration teams see most: fast, shallow, and ruinous to flooring, drywall, and everything sitting on it.
This is a live snapshot as of 8:20 PM CDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.
Andrews County — Flash Flood Warning
The National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa, Texas issued this Flash Flood Warning at 8:04 PM CDT on Saturday, September 19. It is in effect until 9:45 PM CDT.
The warning covers Andrews, TX — Andrews County in western Texas. This alert is an update (message type “Update”), and it remains an active, severe warning with certainty rated Likely and urgency rated Immediate.
The hazard, in the National Weather Service’s own words: at 8:04 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen, and the expected rainfall rate is 2 to 3 inches in 1 hour. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
- Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
- Source: Radar indicated.
- Impact: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, plus other poor-drainage and low-lying areas.
Expected impacts include flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, plus other poor-drainage and low-lying areas. The alert’s full text is available at weather.gov and via the NWS Midland/Odessa office page.
Stay safe tonight
Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — the National Weather Service states this explicitly in this warning, and it bears repeating: never drive through flooded roadways. Six inches of moving water can knock a person down; a foot of water can float a vehicle.
If water enters your home tonight: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, and avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off. Photograph everything before you move a thing — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor: water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day, as saturated drywall, insulation, and flooring wick moisture deeper into the structure.
Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement and request they pass the information to the National Weather Service when you can do so safely.
What this means for restoration teams
A radar-indicated flash flood warning with 1.5 to 2.5 inches already on the ground and 2 to 3 inches per hour still possible translates into a very specific damage profile for contractors in and around Andrews County:
- Interior water intrusion through doors, weep holes, and garage entries — flash flood water finds every seam.
- Saturated drywall and insulation in low-lying rooms; sheetrock wicks water upward well above the visible flood line.
- Mold risk within 24–48 hours on every wetted porous material that isn’t extracted and dried quickly.
- Sewage backup in low-lying areas where storm systems overwhelm sanitary lines — treat any floodwater as contaminated until proven otherwise.
- Street and underpass flooding that can strand your own crews and equipment if routes aren’t checked before dispatch.
The play: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets and dehumidifiers before the calls start, and keep an on-call rotation through the night and morning. When the first calls come in, capture the address, the water source (storm flooding vs. sewage vs. roof), and the affected areas on the very first call — it shapes the entire mitigation plan and the estimate.
Field discipline matters on these jobs: photo-document everything before mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room (not just the obviously wet ones), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. Flash flood calls often involve stressed homeowners with water on the floor and questions about coverage — clarity up front prevents the collection problem later.
FEMA & federal assistance
If damage from tonight’s flooding turns out to be significant, federal help may become available. The standard resources: the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local, 7 days a week), DisasterAssistance.gov, the FEMA app, and fema.gov/drc for Disaster Recovery Centers.
Basic eligibility generally requires citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe — documentation of the damage, gathered in the first hours, is what makes an application move.
Looking ahead
This warning expires at 9:45 PM CDT. Expiry doesn’t mean the water is gone — it means the immediate threat window the National Weather Service judged highest has passed. Creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops, and additional rounds of storms are always possible in this kind of pattern. Keep watching the NWS Midland/Odessa page for follow-up statements.
The demand window for restoration contractors opens fast: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage behind baseboards, under flooring, and in walls that looked fine at midnight.
Sources & how to verify
- National Weather Service alert: Flash Flood Warning issued September 19 at 8:04 PM CDT until September 19 at 9:45 PM CDT by NWS Midland/Odessa TX (alert source via weather.gov).
- Issuing office: NWS Midland/Odessa, Texas.
To verify for your own county or ZIP code: go to weather.gov, enter your location, and check the active alerts for your area — or visit the NWS Midland/Odessa office page directly.
This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.
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