When the weather watch and early warnings went out, he says this is the time when community leaders, private company owners and residents should all start establishing their emergency plans should the worst happen. In a region of Texas so prone to floods, though, he admits warning fatigue can wain on people's sense of urgency.

As climate change increases the frequency of environmental disasters, experts say federal cuts could leave California and other states vulnerable in the years ahead.

NWS says Flash Flood Warnings were issued on July 3 and early July 4 in Central Texas, giving more than three hours of warning.

Historic flash floods swept across central Texas and left at least 81 dead. Authorities are searching for those still missing, including 10 children and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp at the edge of the Guadalupe River. USA TODAY readers have lots of questions about the flooding, as well as the recovery efforts.

Records released Tuesday show Camp Mystic met state regulations for disaster procedures, but details of the plan remain unclear.

Survivors have described the floods along the Guadalupe River as a “pitch black wall of death” and said they received no emergency warnings.

There was little indication of how torrential the Texas downpours would become before dawn. At least 27 people were killed, many of them children at Camp Mystic.

We looked back and found the forecasts and flood alerts sent out by the National Weather Service in San Antonio and Austin.