Why was the Hill Country flood so deadly?

KERR COUNTY, Texas – The Hill Country flood, marked by unprecedented rainfall and unfortunate timing, has become one of the deadliest floods in Texas history, with its swift waters catching many off guard in the dead of night.

Why was the Hill Country flood so deadly?

This is a question that will be researched for years to come. As with any disaster, this are MANY things that went wrong in concert.

>> Latest stories on the Hill Country floods

These are just a few of the causes.

• The rain fell in precisely the wrong spot. Had the rain been 10 miles to the west or east, we may not be talking about this devastation. The storms sat directly over the South and North fork of the Guadalupe River, creating a true wall of water. It also happened very quickly, due to elevation and the limestone terrain.

• Intense rainfall. Because of the remnants of a tropical system (Barry), a tropical airmass resulted in incredible rainfall rates.

• Timing. It was the middle of the night and everyone was asleep. It was also the 4th of July, causing a peak in the amount of people along the river who were visiting to camp or park their RV. Additionally, several summer camps were directly under the heaviest rainfall.

• Communication. Because cell service was spotty or because alerts may have been turned off on phones, many people did not receive advanced warning.

• Warning fatigue. While some did get warnings, flood warnings are nothing new for this area. Because most floods are not this extreme, the warnings may have been disregarded or the seriousness of the flood was not understood.

>> Kerr County tragedy already one of the deadliest floods in Texas history

QUICK WEATHER LINKS