Four ‘1-in-1,000-Year’ Storms Strike U.S. in Seven Days

by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – In a week that defied probability and stunned the nation, an extraordinary string of weather catastrophes swept from Texas to Illinois—four separate “1-in-1,000-year” floods that turned roads into rivers, homes into wreckage, and left at least 125 dead.

The phrase “1-in-1,000-year event” refers to storms so rare they have only a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year at a specific location. Yet within days, catastrophic floods were reported in distant corners of the country, leaving experts stunned and communities scrambling to recover.

“To see historic, record-breaking events in multiple parts of the country in one week is even more alarming,” said Kristina Dahl, Vice President for Science at Climate Central.

Texas Flash Flood Turns Deadly

The week began with tragedy in central Texas, where torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise more than 20 feet in just 90 minutes. The flash floods swept through the Hill Country region, killing at least 120 people across six counties. Roads were destroyed, homes were washed away, and entire communities were left isolated in the wake of the devastation.

Tropical Storm Chantal Slams North Carolina

Just days later, Tropical Storm Chantal dropped up to 12 inches of rain in 24 hours across central North Carolina. Flash floods inundated neighborhoods and prompted widespread evacuations. The official death toll is still being confirmed, as additional rainfall and flood watches extended into the following days.

Chicago and New Mexico Hit on Same Day

On Tuesday, two more locations were pummeled by sudden, extreme weather. In Chicago, 5 inches of rain fell in 90 minutes over Garfield Park, overwhelming drainage systems and prompting emergency rescues on the city’s west side.

In New Mexico, the remote mountain village of Ruidoso—already scarred from wildfires last year—was hit by flash flooding that killed at least three people. Experts say burn scars from previous fires greatly increased runoff and the speed of floodwaters.

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