Austin Texas News

The risk of wildfires will be higher than normal through the winter in much of Texas. It’s yet another effect of the drought that continues to worsen in much of the state, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Though parts of Texas got some rain after the Thanksgiving holiday, the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map shows nearly a quarter of the state is now classified in “extreme drought.” The story behind the drought…

Record countdown is on for most tropical systems to make landfall in the U.S. in one season. The Gulf Coast has seen more than half of those landfalls. AUSTIN, Texas — It is no secret that the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is one of the most active in recent memory.  For the second time in history, meteorologists had to turn to the Greek Alphabet to name storms because the predetermined list of tropical system names…

There have been 29 wildfires reported from the Oregon border to just north of Mexico. ROUND ROCK, Texas — Three Round Rock firefighters are leaving Central Texas Friday to head to California, where crews are working to fight devastating wildfires across the West Coast. Lt. Matt Quade, Captain Jason Rutherford and driver Wayne Pietzsch, members of the Central Branch Strike Team, will be there for a minimum of two weeks. On Sept. 11, the Kyle…

While Central Texas is not in the direct path, local impacts are expected. AUSTIN, Texas — Tropical Storm Beta made landfall near Port O’Connor late Monday night around 10 pm.  This is the ninth named storm that has made landfall in the continental U.S. this year which means 2020 is officially tied with the 1916 hurricane season for the most continental U.S. landfalls in a single season.  Beta is the second system named with the…

While Central Texas is not in the direct path, local impacts are expected. AUSTIN, Texas — Tropical Storm Beta made landfall near Port O’Connor late Monday night around 10 pm.  This is the ninth named storm that has made landfall in the continental U.S. this year which means 2020 is officially tied with the 1916 hurricane season for the most continental U.S. landfalls in a single season.  Beta is the second system named with the…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 5:44 AM CDT September 22, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — *Tropical Storm Beta made landfall near Port O’Connor late Monday night around 10 pm.  This is the ninth named storm that has made landfall in the continental U.S. this year which means 2020 is officially tied with the 1916 hurricane season for the most continental U.S. landfalls in a…

While Central Texas is not in the direct path, local impacts are expected. AUSTIN, Texas — Tropical Storm Beta made landfall near Port O’Connor late Monday night around 10 pm.  This is the ninth named storm that has made landfall in the continental U.S. this year which means 2020 is officially tied with the 1916 hurricane season for the most continental U.S. landfalls in a single season.  Beta is the second system named with the…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 5:42 PM CDT September 21, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — Beta’s outer bands have brought rain to Central Texas. Light to moderate rain along with dense cloud cover and gusty winds will keep Monday highs in the 70s. Rain, heavy at times will continue through Wednesday morning. Rain chances will begin to taper off for the second half of…

While Central Texas is not in the direct path, local impacts are expected. AUSTIN, Texas — As of Monday morning, Tropical Storm Beta has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and is moving west at 6 mph. While the center of the storm is still off of the Texas coast, rain bands are already moving through Central Texas.  Beta is the second system named with the Greek alphabet in 2020. This is the second time…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 9:08 AM CDT September 20, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — After a cool fall-like start in the 50s and 60s, expect increasing clouds through the day as tropical moisture slowly moves in from Tropical Storm Beta. A few rain bands may move in Sunday evening but the best chance for rain will be east of Austin. All eyes are…

The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season has been one for the record books. It’s been so active that we are about to run out of names. We are barely past the halfway point of the season and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is left with only one name remaining on the 2020 Atlantic hurricane list: Wilfred.  Although there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) does not use names that begin…

Austin area crews started fighting the fires in California on Monday. AUSTIN, Texas — A total of 200 Texas firefighters are in California helping to battle the 29 wildfires currently burning there. The largest wildfire in the state’s history, the August Complex, has now scorched nearly 900,000 acres, creating a fire cloud visible from space.  An eerily beautiful orange-red sun overlooked a burnt scene in and around Fresno County, California, after the Creek Fire incinerated…

If enough smoke reaches the surface, this could potentially reduce our air quality. AUSTIN, Texas — While wildfires across the West Coast continue to destroy homes and communities, they’re also bringing a major threat of very unhealthy air quality to areas that are usually known for their clean living and stunning views. On Monday, air quality index readings ranged from 350 to more than 515 across many major cities in California, Oregon and Washington. This…

CALIFORNIA, USA — On Friday, 200 firefighters from across Texas hit the road to provide some much-needed relief to the West Coast. Among that group are three firefighters from Central Texas, all with the Round Rock Fire Department: Lt. Matt Quade, Cpt. Jason Rutherford and Wayne Pietzch. The trio made it to Bakersfield on Saturday night, then made their way near Fresno on Sunday.  Rutherford said they were assigned to help with the Creek Fire,…

There have been 29 wildfires reported from the Oregon border to just north of Mexico. ROUND ROCK, Texas — Three Round Rock firefighters are leaving Central Texas Friday to head to California, where crews are working to fight devastating wildfires across the East Coast. Lt. Matt Quade, Captain Jason Rutherford and driver Wayne Pietzsch, members of the Central Branch Strike Team, will be there for a minimum of two weeks. Also on Friday, Gov. Greg…

There are high rain totals and 50s and 60s overspread Central Texas. Author: Jason Mikell, Hunter Williams (KVUE), Erika Lopez, Mariel Ruiz Published: 9:54 PM CDT September 2, 2020 Updated: 9:04 AM CDT September 10, 2020 Credit: KVUE AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Watch remains until 1 p.m. for much of Central Texas after a strong cold front swung through late Wednesday evening, leaving in its wake a swath of near-record temperatures Thursday morning….

The heaviest rainfall totals will be across the Hill Country. Author: Jason Mikell, Hunter Williams (KVUE), Erika Lopez, Mariel Ruiz Published: 9:54 PM CDT September 2, 2020 Updated: 7:19 PM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flood Advisory has replaced a Flash Flood Warning in Travis County. Watch for urban and small stream flooding. Runoff from earlier storms will continue to cause flooding through the evening. Avoid water covered roadways.   Higher rain…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 7:20 PM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through 1 p.m. for a few select counties. A Flash Flood Advisory is in effect for Travis county until 8:30 p.m. Higher rain chances and a cool down are on the way for Central Texas as a cold front moves through the…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 11:59 AM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through 1 p.m. for a few select counties. A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Blanco and Gillespie counties until 8 a.m. Higher rain chances and a cool down are on the way for mid-week as a cold front approaches Central…

The heaviest rainfall totals will be across the Hill Country where at least 2 to 3 inches of rain will be possible. Author: Jason Mikell, Hunter Williams (KVUE), Erika Lopez, Mariel Ruiz Published: 9:54 PM CDT September 2, 2020 Updated: 9:32 AM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Warning is currently in effect for some in the Central Texas viewing area including Austin-Travis County through 10:45 a.m.  Higher rain chances and…

Heaviest rainfall totals will be across the Hill Country where 2 to 3+ inches of rain will be possible. Author: Jason Mikell, Hunter Williams (KVUE), Erika Lopez, Mariel Ruiz Published: 9:54 PM CDT September 2, 2020 Updated: 8:01 AM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Warning is currently in effect for some in our viewing area including Austin-Travis County through 10:45 AM.  Higher rain chances and a cool down are on…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 5:19 AM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Advisory is in effect for a few Central Texas counties, including Travis, Burnet and Llano counties until 8 a.m. A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Blanco and Gillespie counties until 8 a.m. Higher rain chances and a cool down are on the way for…

Heaviest rainfall totals will be across the Hill Country where 2 to 3+ inches of rain will be possible. Author: Jason Mikell, Hunter Williams (KVUE), Erika Lopez, Mariel Ruiz Published: 9:54 PM CDT September 2, 2020 Updated: 4:27 AM CDT September 9, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — Higher rain chances and a cool down are on the way for mid-week as a cold front approaches Central Texas. This cold front will provide a good bit of…

The deadliest disaster in the U.S. happened this week in 1900 when a hurricane struck Galveston without warning. GALVESTON, Texas — It was called the grandest city in Texas at the dawn of the 20th century.But with the arrival of the hurricane on Sept. 8, 1900, the city would struggle to ever regain its former status. So devastating was the hurricane of 1900 that it’s been estimated that nearly a fourth of the city’s population…

Six Texas markets reported double-digit percentage increases, led by San Antonio (+38.1% to 59.1%), Austin (+34.5% to 57.2%) and Houston (+31.2% to 51.0%). AUSTIN, Texas — Hurricane Laura evacuees sheltering in Austin caused a significant increase in hotel demand in the City, according to a data analysis report from STR. The report stated that Austin saw a 34.5% increase in hotel occupancy when comparing the week of Aug. 23 to Aug. 29 to the week…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 1:44 PM CDT September 4, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 11:30 a.m. Friday for Travis and Hays counties. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms stay with us through Saturday. The additional rain and cloud cover keep our temperatures below-average for this time of the year.  Additional rain accumulations of 1 to 2…

Author: Jason Mikell, Mariel Ruiz, Hunter Williams, Erika Lopez Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 8:39 AM CDT September 4, 2020 AUSTIN, Texas — A Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 11:30 a.m. Friday for Travis, Hays counties. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms stay with us through Saturday. The additional rain and cloud cover keep our temperatures below-average for this time of the year.  Additional rain accumulations of 1 to 2 inches…

An early 2000’s promotional shot of Schatzi. Montez Williams is pictured far left. Montez Williams, guitarist and co-vocalist in onetime Austin power-pop breakouts Schatzi, lost his life Monday after his vehicle got swept away in flood waters near his home in Oklahoma City. According to multiple news reports, a car driven by the 49-year-old father of two washed into the waters during flooding Monday night. The fire department recovered his body this morning after a…

AUSTIN, Texas — A house fire in southeast Austin in the early morning hours of Saturday displaced eight residents, five of whom were Hurricane Laura evacuees. The Austin Fire Department (AFD) said the blaze happened on Burleson Road. The evacuees were seeking shelter after their homes were destroyed in Lake Charles, Louisiana. AFD said a quick response from the neighborhood fire station kept most of the damage to the porch. Residents should be able to reoccupy…

The Texas Forest Service said conditions are favorable for wildfire outbreaks west of Interstate 35. AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Forest Service has issued a warning for this weekend that wildfires could break out anywhere from Fort Worth to San Antonio. Austin and the Hill Country – with an extraordinary number of days with triple-digit high temperatures – are particularly vulnerable. With the drying of vegetation, the more likely a simple spark can create an…

Police said the victim, Amy Lynn Warner, was a bystander and was not involved in the fight. AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department is investigating multiple deadly shootings that happened in a span of less than 24 hours. On Friday, police said Linton Alexander, 21, was arrested after a shooting downtown that left a bystander dead. The shooting happened in Downtown Austin near Sixth Street and Brazos Street by the Driskill Hotel shortly after 12:30…

Governor Greg Abbott today traveled to Southeast Texas to survey the damage from Hurricane Laura and meet with local officials. The Governor also held a press conference in Orange, where he provided an update on response and recovery efforts in the area. Governor Abbott commended the Southeast Texas community for evacuating ahead of the storm, as this minimized the loss of life and severe safety concerns, and urged Texans to remain vigilant against flash flooding,…

For those who were evacuated from the Texas coast and found their way to Central Texas, A Crate Escape in Round Rock is willing to help. ROUND ROCK, Texas — People who have evacuated from the Texas coast have sought shelter in Central Texas over the past few days. But for evacuees with pets, it’s not always so easy. Some shelters and hotels don’t accept pets. But a local Round Rock pet boarding company is…

KVUE caught up with several Hurricane Laura evacuees at a hotel in Buda. BUDA, Texas — Hundreds of Hurricane Laura evacuees woke up in hotel rooms across Central Texas Thursday morning, worried about what their neighborhoods look like on the Texas Coast. The Stelly family from Beaumont was seen packing up their van bright and early outside of the Comfort Suites in Buda, Texas, to head back to assess the damage in southeast Texas.  Ree…

Some Hurricane Laura evacuees who came to the Austin area can return home, Central Texas Officials announced just after 4 p.m. Thursday. They said most evacuees in the area came from Galveston, which is no longer under a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuation mandates have also been lifted in other counties near the Gulf Coast including Hardin, Chambers and Jasper. Officials say people who arrived in their own cars can head back after they register their…

Police said they are investigating multiple shootings that occurred overnight. AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin Police Department is investigating multiple shootings that happened overnight. One of the shootings happened near Sixth Street and Brazos Street near the Driskill Hotel around 12:31 a.m. Police said a woman was found with a gunshot wound and later died at a hospital. Police believe the incident began as a fight but no suspects are in custody as of early Thursday…

The Texas governor gave an update on the hurricane and the damage it left on GMA Thursday morning. So far, no deaths have been reported. TEXAS, USA — Laura made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane around 1 a.m. Thursday morning. The hurricane has since been downgraded to a Category 2 storm as it continues to rip through East Texas and Louisiana. Gov. Greg Abbott joined Good Morning America Thursday to talk about the hurricane’s…

AUSTIN, Texas — Volunteering or donations, many of you might be wondering exactly what you can do to help out those who are affected by Hurricane Laura. First, they need volunteers. People to help out with those coming into Austin from the Gulf Coast. “There’s a lot of different opportunities where you can work directly with clients, as well as support the operation behind the scenes,” explained Reihaneh Hajibeig with the Central and South Texas Red…

Cars lined up at Circuit of the Americas on Wednesday as people waited to find out if Austin would have enough room to shelter them. AUSTIN, Texas — Cars full of people evacuating from the coast headed to Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in hopes of getting a hotel voucher to shelter from Hurricane Laura.  Officials said the City had to start turning people away around midnight. They were able to reopen again and had…

The City of Austin is working to open a portion of the convention center to serve as a shelter for Hurricane Laura evacuees. The shelter should open either Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, Juan Ortiz, director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for Austin, said during a news conference. He said it will have 135 shelter spaces that follow CDC and FEMA guidelines for safe distancing during the pandemic. The alternate care site for COVID-19 patients that’s…

A group of families in the Hill Country escaped Hurricanes Katrina and Rita 15 years ago. They found shelter and help in Texas. So, they built a life here. MARBLE FALLS, Texas — Inside the Real New Orleans Restaurant in Marble Falls, the staff serves up faith and good authentic Cajun food. You don’t have to look far to know the people there have survived their share of storms. “We came up because of Hurricanes…

Texas State University hosts dozens of Lamar University students as a Category 4 hurricane hits the Texas coast. AUSTIN, Texas — Dozens of Lamar University students in Beaumont had nowhere to go during evacuations until Texas State University stepped up. They are hosting 57 students and seven staff members as they are under a mandatory evacuation from their campus due to Hurricane Laura.  The Lamar University students arrived on the San Marcos campus Tuesday afternoon. Texas…

The Austin Convention Center’s capacity supports “135 shelter spaces,” officials said. AUSTIN, Texas — Central Texas’ hotel sheltering options for Hurricane Laura evacuees are full, according to the City of Austin. However, the City has opened the Austin Convention Center as a “traditional shelter setting” available to evacuees with the assistance of The Red Cross and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM).   The Austin Convention Center’s capacity supports 135 shelter spaces, officials said. The…

COVID-19 has left the nonprofit without its usual volunteers. AUSTIN, Texas — Austin, Travis County, Williamson County and Hays County activated the Capital Area Shelter Hub plan on Tuesday, preparing for up to 3,000 evacuees to arrive from Galveston. The coastal city issued a mandatory evacuation in anticipation of Hurricane Laura. Emergency planners designated the Circuit of the Americas as the reception center where all the evacuees must first go when they arrive to Austin…

AUSTIN, Texas — Central Texas’ hotel sheltering options for Hurricane Laura evacuees are full, according to the City of Austin. The City and Travis County have issued disaster declarations in response to the storm, but currently, the hotel sheltering options provided by the capital area regional partnership have reached capacity. The City said there may be hotels in the area available to evacuees who can pay for them. The City is encouraging evacuees to head…

Abbott said Hurricane Laura was expected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and would be “quite severe” with very powerful winds. AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott gave an update at on the State’s response to Hurricane Laura as the storm barrels toward the Texas-Louisiana coast.  Abbott said Hurricane Laura was expected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and would be “quite severe” with very powerful winds. He…

He told KVUE it took him five hours to get to the Austin intake facility where he was told to go to Dallas. AUSTIN, Texas — After opening its doors Tuesday afternoon, the Austin intake facility for Hurricane Laura evacuees reached capacity, prompting the facility to close. The intake facility, located at the Circuit of the Americas, was ready to take in up to 3,000 evacuees. However, COTA officials told KVUE they ran out of hotel…

COTA’s intake facility is now being used as a rest area for evacuees. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, COTA reopened its intake facility as a rest area for evacuees. Those seeking shelter are welcomed to wait at COTA until more hotel rooms become available on a first-come-first-served basis. The COTA intake facility said it ran out of hotel rooms early Wednesday morning one day after city leaders announced on Tuesday that Austin would be one…