Storm of October 26–27, 2026: Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend
Peak water levels at 24 USGS gauges · 1 National Weather Service alert · Corpus Christi gauges now
This event is still open: peaks are collected until Oct 29, 2026 at 12:00 AM CDT, and the figures below update every 15 minutes until then.
The National Weather Service issued 1 alert naming one or more of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio counties between Oct 26, 2026 at 12:13 AM CDT and Oct 27, 2026 at 12:00 AM CDT. None of the 12 gauges with NWS flood stages reached one. The largest rise was 0.8 ft at Poesta Creek at FM 351 near Beeville.
Tide gauges
None of 12 NOAA tide gauges reached a coastal flood threshold in this storm.
| Tide gauge | Peak | Peak time | Against flood thresholds | Highest observed (NOAA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aransas, Aransas Pass | +1.22 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 4:48 PM CDT | 0.3 ft below NWS minor | +3.05 ft (June 20, 2024) |
| Port Aransas | +1.24 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 12:30 AM CDT | 0.3 ft below NWS minor | +5.19 ft (August 26, 2017) |
| Rockport | +1.21 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 2:24 AM CDT | 0.6 ft below NWS minor | +3.73 ft (August 10, 1980) |
| USS Lexington, Corpus Christi Bay | +1.09 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 11:36 PM CDT | 0.6 ft below NWS minor | +3.72 ft (July 26, 2020) |
| Packery Channel | +1.20 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 2:06 AM CDT | 0.7 ft below NWS minor | +4.66 ft (August 26, 2017) |
| S. Bird Island | 1.76 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 2:18 AM CDT | 0.8 ft below NWS minor | — |
| Baffin Bay | 1.58 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 2:24 AM CDT | 0.9 ft below NWS minor | — |
| Copano Bay | +1.09 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 1:12 AM CDT | — | +4.01 ft (August 26, 2017) |
| La Quinta Channel North | +1.18 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 11:18 PM CDT | — | +3.27 ft (June 20, 2024) |
| Viola Turning Basin | +1.17 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 11:42 PM CDT | — | +3.53 ft (June 20, 2024) |
| Enbridge, Ingleside | +1.23 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 1:06 AM CDT | — | +3.24 ft (June 20, 2024) |
| Rincon Del San Jose | 1.51 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 4:24 PM CDT | — | — |
Water level relative to MHHW (an ordinary high tide), the highest six-minute reading in the storm window. Storm windows follow the region's NWS flood alerts; coastal flood alerts alone do not open one.
National Weather Service alerts
| Alert | Issued | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood Advisory | Oct 26, 2026 at 12:13 AM CDT | Oct 27, 2026 at 12:00 AM CDT |
Alerts as issued by the National Weather Service, each naming at least one of the region's counties. They describe an area, not any one gauge.
USGS gauges: flood stages and records
None of 18 USGS gauges reached an NWS flood stage in this storm. For each gauge below, the storm peak is set against the NWS flood stages and against the highest annual peak in its comparable USGS record.
| USGS gauge | Storm peak | Against NWS flood stages | Against its USGS record | Rank in its record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Creek at Alice | 7.09 ft | 3.9 ft below minor (11) | 10.6 ft below the 1972 record of 17.70 ft | highest since water year 2026; 15 of 32 years higher |
| San Antonio River near McFaddin | 14.42 ft | — | 19.2 ft below the 2007 record of 33.58 ft | lower than every annual peak since 2006 (21 years) |
| Nueces River at Bluntzer | 7.74 ft | 10.3 ft below minor (18) | 24.5 ft below the 2002 record of 32.22 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1994 (33 years) |
| Oso Creek at Corpus Christi | 5.94 ft | 14.1 ft below minor (20) | 24.4 ft below the 2004 record of 30.33 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1973 (52 years) |
| Petronila Creek at FM 665 near Driscoll | 4.45 ft | — | 23.8 ft below the 2021 record of 28.22 ft | lower than every annual peak since 2019 (8 years) |
| Choke Canyon Reservoir OWC near Three Rivers | 4.05 ft | — | 29.6 ft below the 2007 record of 33.62 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1999 (27 years) |
| Lagarto Creek near George West | 3.87 ft | — | 21.2 ft below the 1972 record of 25.10 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1971 (38 years) |
| Nueces River at Calallen | 3.29 ft | 3.7 ft below minor (7) | 10.3 ft below the 1942 record of 13.58 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1942 (44 years) |
| Copano Creek near Refugio | 2.34 ft | 9.7 ft below minor (12) | 18.7 ft below the 1971 record of 21.00 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1971 (56 years) |
| Nueces River near Odem | 2.30 ft | — | 3.9 ft below the 2020 record of 6.17 ft | lower than every annual peak since 2020 (7 years) |
| Mission River at Refugio | 1.80 ft | 21.2 ft below minor (23) | 36.5 ft below the 1971 record of 38.25 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1940 (87 years) |
| Tranquitas Creek at Kingsville | 1.79 ft | — | 7.5 ft below the 2024 record of 9.28 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1965 (48 years) |
| Atascosa River at Whitsett | 1.78 ft | 18.2 ft below minor (20) | 39.5 ft below the 1967 record of 41.30 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1925 (96 years) |
| Nueces River near Mathis | 1.64 ft | 23.4 ft below minor (25) | 46.1 ft below the 1967 record of 47.70 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1919 (90 years) |
| Los Olmos Creek near Falfurrias | 1.19 ft | 9.8 ft below minor (11) | 13.5 ft below the 1980 record of 14.70 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1967 (44 years) |
| San Fernando Creek at Alice | 0.72 ft | 11.3 ft below minor (12) | 15.8 ft below the 1971 record of 16.51 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1962 (51 years) |
| Aransas River near Skidmore | 0.39 ft | 12.6 ft below minor (13) | 41.8 ft below the 1967 record of 42.22 ft | lower than every annual peak since 1964 (63 years) |
| Nueces River near Three Rivers | 1.79 ft | 23.2 ft below minor (25) | — | — |
Records are USGS annual peaks (each water year's highest gage height) from the years comparable with today's datum; they can differ from the crests the NWS lists. Gauges without NWS flood stages or at least five comparable years are on their own pages.
Every gauge
Peak is each gauge's highest gage height in the window; rise is from its last reading before the window opened. Peak times along one river reflect where and when rain fell as well as flow downstream, so their order is not a travel time.
| Gauge | County | Peak | Peak time | Rise | Against NWS flood stages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces River at Calallen | Nueces County | 3.29 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 3.7 ft below minor flood stage |
| San Diego Creek at Alice | Jim Wells County | 7.09 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 3.9 ft below minor flood stage |
| Copano Creek near Refugio | Refugio County | 2.34 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 9.7 ft below minor flood stage |
| Los Olmos Creek near Falfurrias | Brooks County | 1.19 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 9.8 ft below minor flood stage |
| Nueces River at Bluntzer | Nueces County | 7.74 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 1:00 AM CDT | 0.1 ft | 10.3 ft below minor flood stage |
| San Fernando Creek at Alice | Jim Wells County | 0.72 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 11.3 ft below minor flood stage |
| Aransas River near Skidmore | Bee County | 0.39 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 12.6 ft below minor flood stage |
| Oso Creek at Corpus Christi | Nueces County | 5.94 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM CDT | 0.1 ft | 14.1 ft below minor flood stage |
| Atascosa River at Whitsett | Live Oak County | 1.78 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 18.2 ft below minor flood stage |
| Mission River at Refugio | Refugio County | 1.80 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 6:00 PM CDT | 0.2 ft | 21.2 ft below minor flood stage |
| Nueces River near Three Rivers | Live Oak County | 1.79 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:45 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 23.2 ft below minor flood stage |
| Nueces River near Mathis | San Patricio County | 1.64 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | 23.4 ft below minor flood stage |
| San Antonio River near McFaddin | Refugio County | 14.42 ft | Oct 26, 2026 at 2:15 AM CDT | 0.2 ft | — |
| Medio Creek near Normanna | Bee County | 214.45 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 2:45 PM CDT | 0.3 ft | — |
| Medio Creek near Beeville | Bee County | 3.91 ft (no change recorded) | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Devils Run Creek at US 77 near Woodsboro | Refugio County | 15.88 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:45 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Poesta Creek at FM 351 near Beeville | Bee County | 216.36 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 5:45 PM CDT | 0.8 ft | — |
| Poesta Creek at Beeville | Bee County | 191.05 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:30 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Chiltipin Creek at US 77 near Sinton | San Patricio County | 23.93 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Choke Canyon Reservoir OWC near Three Rivers | Live Oak County | 4.05 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Lagarto Creek near George West | Live Oak County | 3.87 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
| Nueces River near Odem | Nueces County | 2.30 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 11:00 PM CDT | 0.8 ft | — |
| Tranquitas Creek at Kingsville | Kleberg County | 1.79 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 2:15 PM CDT | 0.6 ft | — |
| Petronila Creek at FM 665 near Driscoll | Nueces County | 4.45 ft | Oct 25, 2026 at 12:15 PM CDT | 0.0 ft | — |
How this event is defined
By the National Weather Service, not by this site. Every flood alert naming any of Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, Refugio and San Patricio counties counts, and since October 24, 2026 so does every coastal flood, storm surge, tropical storm or hurricane watch, warning or advisory; alerts that start within 24 hours of the previous one ending are one event. Each gauge's peak is its highest reading from 12 hours before the first alert to 48 hours after the last one ended: Oct 25, 2026 at 12:13 PM CDT to Oct 29, 2026 at 12:00 AM CDT. Large rivers crest a day or more after the rain, which is why the window runs past the alerts.
2026-10-26.csv (CSV): the table above, one row per gauge, with times in UTC and local time.