1921 — Sep 7, South Texas tropical storm, flash flooding, especially San Antonio, TX–   51         

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 5-17-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

—  51  Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). 1964, p. 323.[1]

—  51  History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, Sep 7, 1921. Flash Flood Hits San Antonio.

—  51  Rappaport and Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones. 1995, p. 24.[2]

Narrative Information

 Dunn and Miller (1964, 223) note that “The heavy rains associated with the dying Texas storm of September, 1921, caused severe flooding over portions of Central Texas. At San Antonio water reached depths of five to nine feet in hotels, stores, and theaters. Fifty-one lives were lost and damage was estimated at five million dollars.”

History.com: “The San Antonio River floods on this day in 1921, killing 51 people and causing millions of dollars in damages. The flood was caused by some of the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in Texas.

“The San Antonio River winds through southwest Texas, an area that is generally dry. However, on September 7, a storm stalled over the town of Taylor and dumped an astounding 23.11 inches of rain on the area in less than a day. It was the heaviest single day of rainfall in the state to that time.

“The immense amount of rain quickly overwhelmed the river. Taylor is located 30 miles upstream from San Antonio, so the resulting flash flood went barreling toward the city. Most of the victims were trapped in their cars by the surprise flood and drowned. Five to 10 feet of water submerged the city’s streets, delaying an evacuation.

“The city was under water for nearly a week following the flood. The flood was responsible for at least $5 million in damages in the then-small city. In the aftermath, San Antonio embarked on a 10-year overhaul of its levee system.”  (History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, September 7, 1921. “Flash Flood Hits San Antonio.”)

Price. Hurricanes affecting the coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande. 1956, p A-8:

“1921, 6-7 Sept. Originated in Bay of Campeche, progressed northward across Rio Grande into Texas. On reaching Texas wind velocities were well below hurricane speeds, but torrential rains fell. Tyler, Tesas: 23.11 in. rain in 24 hours. San Antonio: 5-9 feet of water stood in the downtown area; 51 lives lost and $5,000,000 damage estimated. Padre Island: Rain, 1-3 in. Flood destroyed much of grass on southern end of island (authority, Burton Dunn, Padre Island rancher).”

Rappaport and Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones. 1995, p.24:

“No. 185. South Texas…6-7 Sep 1921…51 [lives lost].”

Sources

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA:  Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages.

History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, September 7, 1921. “Flash Flood Hits San Antonio.” Accessed 12-08-2008 at: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&displayDate=09/07&categoryId=disaster

Price, W. A. Hurricanes affecting the coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande. Technical Memorandum No. 78, 17 pp., U.S. Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, 1956. Accessed 5-16-2025 at: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hurricanes_Affecting_the_Coast_of_Texas/OkqWsBwqaqgC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=san%20antonio

Rappaport, Edward N. and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994 (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). Coral Gables, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1995, 42 pages. Accessed 8-20-2017 at:  http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-NHC-1995-47.pdf

[1] Dunn and Miller attribute the deaths to flooding.

[2] Cites (1) Price, W. A. Hurricanes affecting the coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande. Technical Memorandum No. 78, 17 pp., U.S. Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, 1956. Adds note: “Monthly Weather Review, however, indicates at least 215 deaths from floods, all which came after the cyclone dissipated (and were associated with remnants of the cyclone). We have separate document on this follow-on rain event.