NATIONAL STORM SUMMARY

JULY 2025

June 29-June 5: Horrific flooding struck Texas Hill Country on the night of July 3-4, with historically rapid river rises leading to more than 100 fatalities. Hardest hit was Kerr County, TX, where the Guadelupe River at Hunt rose at least 27.52 feet above flood stage just after 6 am CDT on Independence Day, eclipsing the July 1932 high-water mark. More broadly, unsettled, showery weather persisted for much of the week from the Rockies eastward, with some of the heaviest rain outside of Texas falling in the middle and southern Atlantic States and the upper Midwest.

In late June, some of the heaviest showers were focused across the South and East. On June 29, Baton Rouge, LA, collected a record-setting rainfall of 2.48 inches. The last day of June featured daily-record totals in locations such as Tallahassee, FL (2.55 inches); Wilmington, DE (2.24 inches); and Victoria, TX (2.01 inches). Apalachicola, FL, reported consecutive daily-record amounts—1.90 and 2.82 inches, respectively—on June 30 and July 1. Elsewhere in the East, daily-record totals for July 1 included 1.41 inches in Martinsburg, WV, and 1.26 inches in Islip, NY. In North Carolina, daily-record totals for July 2 reached 1.93 inches in New Bern and 1.55 inches in Elizabeth City. Meanwhile, spotty showers in the Far West led to record-setting amounts for July 2 in California locations such as Needles (0.62 inch), Mount Shasta City (0.58 inch), and Bishop (0.16 inch). Normal July rainfall is 0.27 inch in Needles and 0.28 inch in Mount Shasta City. Parts of the Southwest also received unusually heavy showers, with Douglas, AZ, measuring 1.36 inches on July 3. By Independence Day, historic flash flooding unfolded in parts of south-central Texas, while locally heavy showers swept across the North. It was the wettest Fourth of July on record in Mobridge, SD (1.66 inches); Stanley, ID (0.45 inch); and Worland, WY (0.41 inch). Farther south, July 3-7 rainfall topped 20 inches in Texas locations such as Liberty Hill (Williamson County) and Bertram (Burnet County). In hard-hit Kerr County, totals locally topped a foot, with the bulk of the rain falling in a few hours on July 3-4. Downstream from Hunt, TX, the Guadelupe River at Kerrville crested at least 25.29 feet above flood stage on July 4, marking the third-highest level on record. Higher observed crests in Kerrville included an estimated 30 feet above flood stage on July 2, 1932, and 28.72 feet above flood stage during a similar flash-flood event on July 17, 1987.

6-12: Local downpours lingered in Texas, following the deadly and destructive downpours of early July in Kerr County and environs. A few areas in central Texas received additional rainfall totaling 4 inches or more. In fact, showery weather persisted across much of the central and eastern U.S., maintaining mostly adequate to abundant moisture reserves for summer crops, some of which entered or moved through the temperature- and moisture-sensitive reproductive stage of development. Outside of Texas, weekly rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches or more were common in the middle and southern Atlantic States and from eastern Nebraska into northern Illinois. Tropical Storm Chantal, which made landfall on July 6 across northeastern South Carolina, contributed to the heavy rainfall in the Carolinas and southern Virginia.

As the week began, some of the heaviest rain (locally 6 inches or more) fell in the middle and southern Atlantic States, associated with Tropical Storm Chantal. The short-lived tropical storm, which made landfall early Sunday, July 6, near Litchfield Beach, SC, caused significant flooding a day later over north-central North Carolina. On July 7, the Haw River near Bynum, NC, achieved a record crest, 11.49 feet above flood stage (previously, 10.76 feet above flood stage with Hurricane Fran on September 6, 1996). Official, record-setting rainfall totals for July 6 included 4.68 inches in Lumberton, NC, and 2.38 inches in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Chantal soon dissipated, but spotty showers persisted all week in parts of the central and eastern U.S. On July 7, Muscle Shoals, AL, measured a daily-record sum of 2.45 inches. Daily-record amounts for July 8 reached 2.72 inches in Fort Smith, AR, and 1.70 inches in Birmingham, AL. Parts of Texas received heavy rain on July 9, just 5 days after the Independence Day flash-flood disaster in the Guadalupe River Basin. Record breaking totals in Texas on the 9th included 1.80 inches in Waco, 1.18 inches in San Angelo, and 1.08 inches in Lufkin. During the first half of July, parts of Kerr and Burnet Counties in Texas received more than 15 inches of rain, with similar totals extending into portions of neighboring counties. Parts of North Carolina also received another round of heavy rain, with Greensboro collecting a daily-record sum of 3.32 inches on July 9. During the second half of the week, shower activity expanded across parts of the Midwest. By July 10, daily-record totals topped the 2-inch mark in Norfolk, NE (2.28 inches), and Madison, WI (2.01 inches). Similar amounts were observed on July 11 in Iowa locations such as Waterloo (2.52 inches) and Des Moines (2.07 inches), along with Moline, IL (2.02 inches). As the week ended, heavy rain began to push back into the south-central U.S., where Tulsa, OK, tallied a daily-record sum of 3.29 inches.

Numerous wildfires remained active across the Alaskan interior, despite some areas receiving significant precipitation. By mid July, a dozen wildfires apiece had charred at least 25,000 acres of vegetation, with the Bear Creek Fire northwest of Healy having destroyed more than five dozen structures.

13-19: Showers east of the Rockies became a little less widespread, although rainfall still totaled 2 to 4 inches or more in many locations from the southern Corn Belt into middle Atlantic States, as well as scattered communities from central and eastern Texas to Florida. A weak low-pressure system helped to consolidate rainfall in the central and eastern Gulf Coast States, although the disturbance moved inland without achieving tropical characteristics. Separately, cold fronts across the northern half of the U.S. produced heavy showers and locally severe thunderstorms, encompassing the northern half of the Plains and Midwest, extending eastward to the middle Atlantic Coast.

As the week began, some of the heaviest rain fell across the South, East, and lower Midwest. In New York, Binghamton collected a record-setting rainfall total (2.53 inches) for July 13. The following day, daily-record amounts for the 14th topped the 2-inch mark in New York’s Central Park (2.64 inches), Scranton, PA (2.52 inches), and Newark, NJ (2.13 inches). Meanwhile, heavy showers and locally severe thunderstorms developed across the northern U.S., where Pierre, SD, clocked a wind gust to 82 mph on July 14, following a high of 104°F. By July 15, daily-record amounts included 2.71 inches in Ashland, WI; 1.81 inches in Aberdeen, SD; and 1.15 inches in Great Falls, MT. As the week progressed, thunderstorms shifted farther south. On July 16, Dodge City, KS, received rainfall totaling 1.95 inches, along with a northerly wind gust to 78 mph. Farther south, a weak low-pressure system crossing the eastern Gulf Coast region during the early- to mid-week period contributed to daily-record rainfall totals in Florida locations such as Daytona Beach (2.25 inches on July 15) and Gainesville (2.60 inches on July 16). Late in the week, heavy showers stretched eastward from the Ohio Valley. Louisville, KY, received measurable rain each day from July 12-19, totaling 5.26 inches. Well over half of Louisville’s rain, 3.17 inches, fell on July 17-18. Similarly, Evansville, IN, netted more than an inch of rain each day from July 17-19, totaling 5.15 inches. Daily record amounts occurred in Evansville on the 17th and 19th— 1.77 and 2.16 inches, respectively. Despite widespread showers, about three dozen wildfires remained active across Alaska. Northwest of Healy, AK, the Bear Creek Fire Group—consisting of several individual fires that were sparked by lightning on June 19—has burned more than 73,000 acres of vegetation.

20-26: Moisture wrapping around a ridge of high pressure anchored over the eastern half of the U.S. maintained showery conditions for reproductive to filling summer crops across the northern and central Plains and much of the Midwest. Some of the heaviest rain (locally 4 inches or more) fell from central and eastern Kansas into the middle Mississippi Valley, with a secondary area of significant rain affecting the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Just to the south, precipitation was scarce from central and southern Texas into the mid-South.

A few weather stations from central Kansas into northern Missouri received weekly rainfall totaling at least 8 to 12 inches, leading to flash flooding. Some of the most impressive rain in Kansas fell on July 21-22 in Saline County near Brookville. Officially, Salina, KS, received 2.38 inches on July 21-22. Missouri’s rain fell during several individual events, although Chesterfield received 2.99 inches on July 21. Later, from July 24-26, Kansas City, MO, measured rainfall totaling 4.35 inches. Heavy rain also soaked the northern Plains and upper Midwest, starting on July 20. On that date, rainfall reached 2.77 inches in Des Moines, IA, and 2.56 inches in Bismarck, ND, setting daily records. Meanwhile, isolated showers and thunderstorms affected the interior Northwest, where Baker City, OR, netted 0.50 inch, a record for July 21. Two days later, record-setting Midwestern totals for July 23 included 3.51 inches in Hibbing, MN; 2.35 inches in Wausau, WI; and 1.96 inches in Huron, SD. For Hibbing, it was the wettest day since June 22, 2002, when 3.66 inches fell. Meanwhile, local Southeastern downpours led to daily-record amounts for July 22 in Columbia, SC (4.30 inches), and Gainesville, FL (2.77 inches). Late in the week, yet another round of heavy rain struck parts of the Midwest. In Illinois, record-setting totals for July 25 reached 2.26 inches in Lincoln and 1.88 inches in Springfield. On July 26, a daily-record sum of 2.45 inches in Burlington, IA, boosted the month-to-date rainfall to 7.91 inches.

July 27-Aug. 2: Significant shower activity continued to benefit rangeland, pastures, and summer crops in several regions. Notably, a band of rain (locally 1 to 3 inches or more) stretched from the northern High Plains to the eastern Corn Belt, while a separate area of showers extended from the central Gulf Coast States to the middle and southern Atlantic Coast. Precipitation also fell in the central and southern Rockies and environs, although the monsoon-related circulation supporting that rain weakened as the week progressed, leading to a turn toward hotter, drier weather.

Several Western wildfires remained active, and new fires were ignited, some due to lightning strikes without meaningful rainfall.

On the night of July 28-29, thunderstorm-driven wind gusts in Iowa were clocked to 92 mph in Spencer and 68 mph in Waterloo. Elsewhere in the Midwest, July 28-29 peak gusts included 76 mph in Rochester, MN; 65 mph in La Crosse, WI; and 59 mph in Moline, IL. During the same event, gusts to 85 mph or higher were recorded in parts of Turner County, SD. Showery Midwestern weather persisted through mid-week, with Detroit, MI, netting record-setting rainfall amounts (2.68 and 1.80 inches, respectively) on July 28 and 30. Meanwhile, record-setting totals for July 30 included 1.27 inches in Cedar Rapids, IA, and 1.04 inches in Milwaukee, WI. On the last day of July, heavy Northeastern showers in conjunction with a cold front’s passage resulted in daily-record totals topping 2 inches in Atlantic City, NJ (3.07 inches); Islip, NY (2.93 inches); Reading, PA (2.69 inches); and Bridgeport, CT (2.58 inches). Meanwhile, the West experienced a mix of wet and dry thunderstorms, with a few areas receiving rain. For example, daily-record rainfall amounts occurred in locations such as Reno, NV (0.57 inch on July 27), and Klamath Falls, OR (0.77 inch on July 31). Late in the week, the focus for heavy showers shifted across the Southeast, where record setting totals for August 1 included 2.19 inches in Lake Charles, LA, and 1.91 inches in Jackson, KY.

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com