Beryl live updates: Tropical storm to regain hurricane strength as it heads for Texas

Beryl is expected to make landfall in southeast Texas early on Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.

State officials have issued a disaster declaration for 40 counties ahead of the storm’s arrival.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued several warnings related to Tropical Storm Beryl ahead of its expected landfall in southeast Texas early tomorrow.

The agency posted a message warning that there could be a “life-threatening storm surge” late on Sunday and into Monday along the state’s coast.

The storm surge warning stretches from “the north entrance to the Padre Island National Seashore to High Island, including Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Galveston Bay.”

The storm is expected to hammer the coast with high winds beginning later tonight.

“Beryl is forecast to bring damaging hurricane-force winds to portions of the Texas coast late tonight and Monday,” the NWS warned. “A Hurricane Warning is now in effect from Baffin Bay to San Luis Pass. Preparations should be rushed to completion before tropical storm conditions begin late today.”

In addition to those warnings, the NWS also noted that “flash and urban flooding” is expected “across portions of the middle and upper Texas Gulf Coast and eastern Texas” until Monday night, and that river flooding was also likely.

The storm will also create a dangerous rip current along much of the Gulf Coast. Swimmers should pay attention to warning flags before entering the water in the Gulf.

Joe Biden and administration officials are monitoring the development of Tropical Storm Beryl as it continues to churn toward southeast Texas.

“We are in close contact with our state and local counterparts and FEMA has prepositioned response personnel, search and rescue teams, bottled water, meals, tarps and electric generators in case they are needed. On Sunday, FEMA activated its National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) to further support local response efforts,” the White House said in a statement to pool reporters on Sunday.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick — who is acting governor while Governor Greg Abbott is out of country traveling — has issued a disaster declaration for 40 counties ahead of Beryl’s landfall as an expected Category 1 hurricane.

The declaration allows state resources to be used in preperatory work and recovery efforts.

Abbott advised Texans living in the storm’s path to begin preparing now for the storm’s arrival.

The National Weather Service announced storm surge and hurricane wanrings for Texas’ east coast on Friday night.

Those warnings extend from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass further north.

Coastal Harris County is also under the warning.

The hurricane watch is in effect for Mexico’s northeastern coast between Barra el Mezquital to the mouth of the Rio Grande.

Hurricane season is upon us, known for disastrous flooding and high-speed winds in coastal areas of the United States and in the Caribbean and Central America, and emergency management officials are urging people to stay prepared.

Unlike previous hurricane seasons, this summer brings record hot temperatures nationwide and an early onset of storms. Hurricane season runs June 1 to Nov. 30, but usually the most hurricanes occur in September and October, said Jaime Hernandez, the emergency management director for Hollywood, on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.

Officials in Matagorda County emergency management called for a voluntary evacuation on Friday night for residents living and visiting the state’s coast ahead of Beryl’s arrival on Sunday.

The voluntary evaucation includes residents in Sargent, Matagorda, and Palacios counties.

A voluntary evacuation is essentially a strong recommendation for residents to and visitors to seek shelter elsewhere until it is safe to return.

When Storm Beryl arrives in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, it is expected to bring 5-10 inches of rainfall, with some locations seeing as high as 15 inches.

The rain will most affect the eastern coast of Texas beginning later on Sunday and stretching into the middle of next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Along with the rain high winds, the storm will also bring a 2-5 foot storm surge to the coast.