The deadly floods that struck Texas on the 4th of July caught local officials off guard as the torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise to near-historic levels in a matter of minutes, officials said at a press conference Saturday.

Before heading to bed before the Fourth of July holiday, Christopher Flowers checked the weather while staying at a friend’s house along the Guadalupe River. Nothing in the forecast alarmed him. Hours later,

The Guadalupe River rose dangerously fast during the early hours of July 4, fueled by tropical moisture and a stalled weather system. Over a foot of rain fell in just hours, triggering the historic flooding.