Hurricane Warning Issued for Texas As Beryl Approaches

Hurricane warnings have been issued across parts of the Texas coast as the storm Beryl is forecast to become a hurricane once more and make landfall.

Earlier in the week, Beryl developed into a Category 5 hurricane and caused at least 12 deaths as it passed through the Caribbean.

The warnings are in place for several areas from Baffin Bay, south of Corpus Christi, extending northward along the shoreline to Sargent, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

“We’re expecting the storm to make landfall somewhere on the Texas coast sometime Monday, if the current forecast is correct,” Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, told The Associated Press. “Should that happen, it’ll most likely be a Category 1 hurricane.”

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who is serving as the acting governor while Governor Greg Abbott is on a business trip, said that the state is preparing for the “worst-case scenario.”

He issued a preemptive disaster declaration for 121 counties, according to the AP.

A hurricane warning is issued when sustained winds of 74 mph or higher associated with a tropical cyclone are expected.

Beryl made landfall in Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday, before weakening to a tropical storm.

The storm system is forecast to regain hurricane status as it nears the coast of Texas, according to the NWS.

It is forecast to bring heavy rain and “damaging hurricane-force winds” to portions of the lower and middle Texas coast, the NWS said. Rainfall could reach up to 6 to 10 inches in the worst affected areas.

There is also a danger of “life-threatening storm surge” on late Sunday night and Monday along the coast from the north entrance to the Padre Island National Seashore to San Luis Pass.

Storm surge warnings are also in effect for portions of the Texas coast. In some areas, the surge levels could reach 5 or 6 feet.

Flash and urban flooding is also likely from late Sunday to the middle of next week, the NWS said.

People in affected areas are warned to be ready to take shelter and to leave immediately if evacuation orders are issued.

Several counties along the Texas coast have issued evacuation orders ahead of Beryl’s expected landfall.

Refugio County has issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents. Aransas County has issued one for low-lying and flood-prone areas, while Port Aransas has issued one for visitors.

Matagorda County has issued a voluntary evacuation alert for coastal areas including Sargent, Matagorda, and Palacios.

Kleberg County has also issued a voluntary evacuation order for Baffin Bay, Loyola Beach and low-lying areas.

Nueces County and Rockport have issued voluntary evacuation orders for people in coastal and low-lying areas.

Beachgoers are also advised to look out for warning flags and follow the advice of lifeguards, as rip currents will cause “life-threatening beach conditions” through Monday across much of the Gulf Coast, the NWS said.

Newsweek reached out to the NWS for comment via email outside of regular working hours.