Dallas weather: Drivers, Waymos struggle with heavy Friday rain
Drivers in North Texas struggle with Friday floods
Drivers both human and autonomous across the North Texas region experienced heavy flooding, with several becoming trapped along roadways that had filled with several inches of rainwater. FOX 4's Shaun Rabb has more on the waterlogged morning.
DALLAS - A deluge of Friday morning rain waterlogged the metroplex, leaving human drivers stranded and autonomous drivers unable to handle the watery conditions.
Mother, daughter stuck in Friday floods
What they're saying:
"That was terrifying."
Tiffanie Delgado McMahon and her eight-year-old daughter were stranded on Carroll Avenue in East Dallas when water flooded over the hood of McMahon's SUV.
"She was in a panic, she was crying, she was shaking," McMahon said. "I really was trying to keep it together, but I wouldn't know what I would have done had the cop [not been there]."
Stephanie Delgado McMahon
A Dallas police officer tried to put caution tape around McMahon's vehicle, but drivers on Carroll Avenue kept driving through it.
McMahon says her SUV's wheels were locked due to the water. Their wait for a tow truck to arrive was over three hours due to the demand for help across the metroplex.
"This was an experience, and now I know what to do. They say don't drown, turn around, but there was nowhere to turn around to. Everywhere was flooded. It was go forward; there was no going back, so forward we went."
NTX flooding leaves drivers stranded
Flash flood warnings were issued for both Dallas and Collin counties on Friday morning, as well as parts of Denton County.
FOX 4 viewers sent in videos of streets overcome with water from the intense bouts of rain that hit North Texas on Friday morning.
In Little Elm, cars were seen with water up to the middle of their wheels as they tried to make their way down the street.
In Plano, heavy rain turned a creek into a fast-moving river.
University Park was also subject to flash floods. Water was seen rising onto sidewalks during this morning's stormy weather.
Dallas Police confirmed to FOX 4 that they responded to 76 calls about vehicles stranded in water, as well as two calls for water rescue, from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.
Autonomous vehicles struggle in water
Humans weren't the only drivers that had trouble with Friday's floods.
Sarah DelSota captured this Waymo robotaxi stranded in high water on Fitzhugh Avenue in Dallas.
Another Waymo in Dallas had more luck during today's storms.
This robotaxi was able to back up off of Griffin Street and out of harm's way.
Friday Forecast
Widespread thunderstorms will hit the Metroplex throughout Friday. Some storms could become severe, bringing damaging winds, hail, and heavy rainfall that may trigger localized flash flooding.
While the strongest storms and gusty winds will shift east as the day progresses, high temperatures will stay in the mid-to-upper 80s for most of the region. Meanwhile, parts of Central Texas are under a heat advisory, with the heat index expected to reach 108 degrees.
FAA issues DFW Airport ground delay
The severe morning weather is causing air traffic delays into and out of Dallas.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop for both Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Dallas Love Field (DAL) as the storms were moving through the area.
While those ground stops have been lifted, a delay remains in effect through 8 p.m. on Friday. The average flight delay is 30 minutes (and increasing) due to the weather, according to the FAA.
LIVE Radar: Dallas-Fort Worth
Weekend Forecast
Scattered, pop-up storms are expected Saturday afternoon, with highs in the low 90s and heat index values nearing triple digits.
Rain chances drop Sunday, making way for much hotter and more humid conditions. The heat index is forecast to surpass 105 degrees, and ‘feels-like’ temperatures could reach 110 degrees in Dallas-Fort Worth.
The Source: Information in this story comes from social media videos of Friday morning's rain in North Texas, an interview with a Dallas resident, and local weather reports.