Padre Island National Seashore reopens after ’substantial coastal flooding’

Padre Island National Seashore is reopening after substantial coastal flooding Wednesday night spurred officials to close the park earlier this week.

On Thursday morning, officials at PINS noted that the “seashore experienced substantial coastal flooding” and had water up to the dunes saying North Beach and South Beach down to the Mansfield Channel were closed until the risk of flooding had passed.

“Coastal flooding can occur on a bright sunny day. Although we did not see wind and rain from Hurricane Laura, low-pressure systems in the Gulf allow water to rise and can flood far away beaches. We estimate that the water rose over 4ft and was able to flood the bottom part of the visitor center access ramp. Thankfully no structures were damaged,” officials told KSAT.

An update Thursday evening posted to Facebook said South Beach would reopen to vehicle access at 7 a.m. Friday and that primitive beach camping would be allowed.

“The park has since reopened vehicle access to North and South Beaches,” officials said. “The developed campgrounds remain closed. Always look for coastal flood advisories and warning before planning a trip to the National Seashore.”

The park also posted a reminder on Facebook asking visitors to be aware of the potential for rip currents.

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