Tropical Storm Beryl was expected to make landfall as a potentially damaging hurricane, and the entire Texas coastline was under a hurricane watch on Saturday as residents braced for its approach.
At least 11 people were killed in the storm, which battered Jamaica and the Caribbean earlier this week and was a hurricane when it made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Friday morning. It weakened to a tropical storm as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula, but is expected to strengthen again into a hurricane on its way to Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This remains a powerful storm,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a press conference Friday.
At 10 a.m. local time in Texas, Beryl was about 460 miles southeast of Corpus Christi in the Gulf of Mexico and was moving west-northwest at 12 mph. IThe hurricane is expected to shift course to the northwest on Saturday, then shift to a north-northwest track by Sunday night and reintensify as a Category 1 hurricane before reaching the Texas coast late Sunday or early Monday.
Winds on Saturday reached a maximum of 60 mph with higher gusts, and are expected to strengthen slightly Saturday before the storm intensifies on Sunday.
A hurricane watch extended from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass. The National Hurricane Center also issued a tropical storm warning Saturday for the Texas coast from Baffin Bay south to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
A tropical storm watch was also issued for the northeast coast of mainland Mexico from Barra el Mezquital to the mouth of the Rio Grande. A storm surge watch was in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande north to High Island. The hurricane center said additional watches and warnings were possible.
Beryl Tracker:See the predicted route to Texas, the spaghetti model
Amazing Storm:A look back at Hurricane Beryl’s record-breaking path as it batters the Caribbean
Key developments:
▪ Authorities said at least 11 people were killed in Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and northern Venezuela as a result of Beryl. There were no casualties in Mexico.
▪ Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, became the fastest Category 5 hurricane on record. Beryl rapidly intensified, becoming a hurricane within 24 hours. Within another 24 hours, its sustained wind speeds increased by 55 mph, reaching 130 mph, nearly the force of a Category 4 hurricane.
▪ Schools along the Texas coast canceled classes Monday, including the Corpus Christi and West Oso School Districts. Del Mar College closed its campus on Monday, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is moving to remote learning.
How Ocean Temperature Affects Beryl:Warmer waters intensify hurricanes
‘Avoid the crowds and be prepared,’ says hardware store owner
Don’t put off buying your items, buy them now, Corpus Christi, Texas, hardware store owner Raul Martinez is urging customers to get in touch as Beryl heads downtown.
“Please charge all batteries in your home,” Martinez posted on the No Hassle Tools and More Facebook page early Saturday. “Get your chainsaws ready and start removing debris. Mow grass now to prevent it from overgrowing. Secure children’s play areas and animal enclosures.”
Things are going well, with anxious but calm customers stocking up on essentials, Martinez told USA Today, and he vowed his store will stay open through the storm if people can reach it safely.
“There are people out there who are in need, but you don’t know it until it happens,” he said. “I have all the tools, and I want to be of service to people, and I’m OK with that.”
Martinez reminded people to mow their lawns because the area hasn’t seen much rain and overgrown grass could cause problems even after the storm hits, and urged people to shop from small businesses and convenience stores during these stressful times.
“There’s no need to panic,” Martinez said. “Many of us small businesses are taking our time, there are little stores selling water, sandbags, at least I’m staying open for people. Don’t just rely on the big stores.”
Some Texas residents have been urged to evacuate in preparation for the storm.
Voluntary evacuations were issued in several coastal Texas counties.
Aransas County urged residents to evacuate, but said it was optional. County emergency officials said people living in low-lying areas should evacuate, as well as those living in recreational vehicles.
Matagorda County warned that storm flooding could trap residents inside their homes and urged voluntary evacuation in coastal areas of the county.
“This situation is of greatest concern to our county’s coastal areas, as low-lying areas that would normally flood are being affected,” the county said in a news release Friday.
Sandbags were being distributed in the city of Kingsville in Kleeburgh County as voluntary evacuations were underway in Baffin Bay, Loyola Beach and throughout low-lying areas of the county.
Beryl’s effects could be felt in Texas on Saturday.
As Beryl strengthens over the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said Texans could already feel its effects Saturday, ahead of its arrival.
“At this time, the exact location of Beryl’s landfall is unknown, but most importantly, heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surges are expected along much of the state’s coastline and parts of the central Gulf Coast from tonight through Sunday,” the Weather Prediction Center said in a statement early Saturday.
Storm-generated swells and “life-threatening” rough seas and ebb tides are not far away.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin hitting the Texas coast Sunday night.
What areas of Texas are in Beryl’s path?
Several large Texas metropolitan areas, including Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, are in the storm’s broad path, and it’s still unclear where the storm will travel, but most of the state will be at least somewhat affected by the storm.
The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi also said South Texas should prepare for power outages.
Coastal areas are expected to experience a storm surge of about 3 to 5 feet, “with large and potentially destructive waves,” the hurricane center said. The storm surge will affect areas from Baffin Bay to San Luis Pass, Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay, the mouth of the Rio Grande River to Baffin Bay, San Luis Pass to High Island and Galveston Bay.
Forecasters warned that heavy rain and flash flooding were the biggest threat. Starting late Sunday night and into next week, parts of the Gulf Coast and East Texas could get about 5 to 10 inches of rain, with some areas getting up to 15 inches. Patrick said flooding was possible wherever Beryl passed.
Contributors: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; By Cross Harris and Alexis Shimerman, Austin American-Statesman; Reuters
