Texans braced for the approach of Tropical Storm Beryl as nearly the entire coastline was under a hurricane watch Saturday ahead of its expected landfall as a potentially destructive hurricane.
The storm, which had already strengthened into a hurricane as it moved through Jamaica and the Caribbean earlier this week and made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula early Friday, has killed at least 11 people along the way. It weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through the Yucatan, but is expected to strengthen into a hurricane again as it heads toward Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This is a determined storm that is still strong,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a news briefing Friday.
As of 10 a.m. local Texas time, Beryl was about 460 miles southeast of Corpus Christi in the Gulf of Mexico and traveling west-northwest at 12 mph. IIt is expected to turn northwest Saturday, then north-northwest Sunday night and reach the Texas coast late Sunday or early Monday after strengthening into a Category 1 hurricane.
Winds reached 60 mph Saturday, with higher gusts. Significant strengthening is not expected Saturday, but the storm is expected to intensify Sunday.
A hurricane warning extended from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass. On Saturday, the National Hurricane Center also issued a tropical storm warning for the Texas coast south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
The northeastern coast of mainland Mexico, from Barra el Mezquital to the mouth of the Rio Grande, was also under a tropical storm watch. A storm surge watch was in place from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to High Island. Additional watches and warnings are likely, the hurricane center said.
Beryl Tracker:See the projected path, spaghetti models of the path to Texas
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Main developments:
∎ At least 11 people were killed in Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and northern Venezuela after Beryl passed through, authorities said. No casualties were reported in Mexico.
∎ Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, became the first Category 5 hurricane on record. With its rapid intensification, Beryl became a hurricane within 24 hours of forming. Within 24 hours, its winds increased by 55 mph, reaching 130 mph, almost a Category 4 hurricane.
∎ Schools near the Texas coast canceled classes Monday, including the Corpus Christi and West Oso school districts. Del Mar College will close its campus Monday, while Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will move to remote learning.
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Beryl’s effects could begin to be felt in Texas on Saturday
As Beryl strengthens over the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said Texans will already feel its impact Saturday before it arrives.
“The exact location of Beryl’s landfall is uncertain at this point, but the most important thing is that heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are expected across much of the state’s coastline and parts of the central Gulf Coast from tonight through Sunday,” the Weather Prediction Center said early Saturday.
The storm’s “potentially deadly” waves, crashing surf and rip currents are also not far away.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin hitting the Texas coast Sunday evening.
What areas of Texas are in Beryl’s path?
Several major urban areas in Texas, including Houston, Austin and San Antonio, are in the storm’s projected path, and it’s not yet clear where the hurricane will land. Most of the state will feel at least some impacts from the storm.
The Corpus Christi weather service also said South Texas should prepare for power outages.
A storm surge of 3 to 5 feet is likely in some coastal areas, and “the surge will be accompanied by significant and destructive waves,” the hurricane center said. The storm surge will affect areas from Baffin Bay to San Luis Pass, Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay, between the mouth of the Rio Grande and Baffin Bay, San Luis Pass to High Island and Galveston Bay.
Torrential rains and flash flooding are among the biggest threats, forecasters warned. About 5 to 10 inches of rain and up to 15 inches in some areas will flood the Texas Gulf Coast and parts of East Texas starting Sunday night and continuing into next week. Flooding is likely wherever Beryl passes, Patrick said.
With contributions from Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; Cross Harris and Alexis Simmerman, Austin’s American Statesman; Reuters
