Tropical Storm Beryl is projected to intensify into a Category 2 hurricane by the time it reaches the Houston area early Monday, as it gains strength while moving northwest over the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The storm is anticipated to become a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday as it travels over warm waters. The NHC has issued hurricane warnings along much of the Texas coast. Forecasters have warned that Beryl could bring severe winds and 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain to the Texas coast and beyond.
Coastal areas were already experiencing rising waters on Sunday, leading county officials to order the evacuation of one beach town. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the port of Houston on Sunday afternoon due to worsening sea conditions, along with the ports of Texas City, Freeport, and Galveston in Texas.
Houston’s school systems, the largest in the state, announced closures for Monday. National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan emphasized on Sunday afternoon that residents had only a few hours left to prepare. “If you have been asked to leave by local officials, please do so,” he urged.
Acting Texas Governor Dan Patrick warned that Beryl “will be a deadly storm for people who are directly in that path” and declared 120 counties to be disaster areas.
The storm has prompted closures or vessel traffic restrictions at multiple ports from Houston to Corpus Christi, which is the top crude oil export hub in the U.S. These closures could disrupt crude oil exports, shipments to refineries, and motor fuel distribution from these plants.
Temperatures in the region are forecasted to exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in the coming days, with heat indices as high as 108 on Sunday. Parts of eastern Texas are on flood watch ahead of the storm, which had maximum wind speeds of 60 mph (96 kph) as of Sunday morning.
Earlier this week, the storm, which briefly became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. It swept through Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, and unleashed heavy rainfall on northern Venezuela. Beryl has claimed at least 11 lives, destroyed buildings, and brought down power lines and trees.
The storm last made landfall on Friday, crossing Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and causing power outages in some areas. However, it largely spared the top beach destinations there and caused no casualties. Video footage showed the international airport at Cancun packed with tourists rescheduling their flights home on Saturday after the storm.
With Beryl now approaching Texas, the National Weather Service has warned of storm surges causing coastal flooding and rip currents.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.