Cuts to the National Weather Service has ignited debate about the agency's ability to respond to emergency weather events, like the Hill Country floods.

Texas leads the country in flood deaths. Steep hills, shallow soils and a fault zone have made Hill Country, also called "flash flood alley," one of the state's most dangerous regions.

Heavy rain poured over the Texas Hill Country on Independence Day, with the flooding causing more than 100 deaths.Here's a timeline of the disaster:Tuesday, July 2On July 2, the Texas Division of Emergency Management said it activated "state emergency response resources in anticipation of increased threats of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas heading into the holiday weekend.

What were the National Weather Service forecasts? Why is it so hard to know where rain will fall? Did staff reductions at the weather service and other budget cuts by the Trump administration contribute to the catastrophe?

The first weather emergency alert sent by the National Weather Service with urgent language instructing people to "seek higher ground now" was sent at 4:03 a.m. local time.

Travis County, Texas Judge Andy Brown joins Morning Joe to discuss the impact of sudden floods in the Texas Hill Country over the weekend. Judge Brown also discusses the importance of the National Weather Service.