As a succession of thunderstorms fed by the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry pummeled Texas' Hill Country, tools used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to detect extreme rainfall began “maxing out the color charts.

Regardless, the process cannot create storms out of thin air. Ken Leppert, an associate professor of atmospheric science at the University of Louisiana Monroe, said it “had absolutely nothing” to do with the flash floods in Texas.

Texas Hill Country, where much of the flooding took place this time, is often referred to as “flash flood alley.” It's home to steep terrain and a lack of vegetation that creates a perfect storm for waters to rise quickly.