Weather Alert

THIS PRODUCT COVERS SOUTHEAST TEXAS **BETA NOW STATIONARY OVER THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO** NEW INFORMATION --------------- * CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR FORT BEND, INLAND BRAZORIA, INLAND GALVESTON, INLAND HARRIS, INLAND JACKSON, INLAND MATAGORDA, AND WHARTON - THE STORM SURGE WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A STORM SURGE WARNING FOR BRAZORIA ISLANDS, CHAMBERS, COASTAL BRAZORIA, COASTAL GALVESTON, COASTAL HARRIS, COASTAL JACKSON, COASTAL MATAGORDA, GALVESTON ISLAND AND BOLIVAR PENINSULA, AND MATAGORDA ISLANDS * CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN LIBERTY - A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FORT BEND, INLAND BRAZORIA, INLAND GALVESTON, INLAND HARRIS, INLAND JACKSON, INLAND MATAGORDA, AND WHARTON - A STORM SURGE WARNING, TROPICAL STORM WARNING, AND HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR BRAZORIA ISLANDS, CHAMBERS, COASTAL BRAZORIA, COASTAL GALVESTON, COASTAL HARRIS, COASTAL JACKSON, COASTAL MATAGORDA, GALVESTON ISLAND AND BOLIVAR PENINSULA, AND MATAGORDA ISLANDS * STORM INFORMATION: - ABOUT 240 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TX OR ABOUT 270 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF PORT O'CONNOR TX - 26.6N 92.4W - STORM INTENSITY 60 MPH - MOVEMENT STATIONARY SITUATION OVERVIEW ------------------ AD OF 4 PM CDT, TROPICAL STORM BETA REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY IN THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. A SLOW NORTHWESTERN MOTION OF THE STORM REMAINS EXPECTED THROUGH TOMORROW AS THE SYSTEM APPROACHES THE TEXAS COAST. THE CURRENT TRACK FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SHOWS A LANDFALL NEAR MATAGORDA BAY ON TUESDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS, HEAVY RAIN, AND STORM SURGE WILL PRECEDE BETA'S LANDFALL. WE CONTINUE TO ANTICIPATE A PROLONGED HEAVY RAINFALL AND COASTAL FLOODING EVENT FROM BETA AS IT APPROACHES THE TEXAS COAST AND TURNS NORTHEASTWARD. THE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO POSE THE THREAT OF DANGEROUS STORM SURGE, AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING RAINS AND STRONG WIND GUSTS. THE COMBINATION OF STORM SURGE AND HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH HIGH TIDES WILL ELEVATE THE RISK OF DANGEROUS FLOODING ALONG THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND INNER COASTAL LOCATIONS THROUGH MID-WEEK. UP TO 20 INCHES OF RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST, WHILE INLAND LOCATIONS MAY SEE 8-12 INCHES THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. MANY LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ISSUED VOLUNTARY EVACUATION ORDERS FOR LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS. IF YOU ARE WITHIN AN AREA WHERE AN EVACUATION WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED, PLEASE HEED THE ADVICE OF YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS. THE STORM SURGE AND FLASH FLOODING IMPACTS OF BETA WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE LIFE-THREATENING. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ----------------- * FLOODING RAIN: PREPARE FOR LIFE-THREATENING RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE EXTENSIVE IMPACTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - MAJOR RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT MANY EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES. - RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY RAPIDLY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS IN MULTIPLE PLACES. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME DANGEROUS RIVERS. FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS MAY BECOME STRESSED. - FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER MANY STRUCTURES WITHIN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES, SOME STRUCTURES BECOMING UNINHABITABLE OR WASHED AWAY. MANY PLACES WHERE FLOOD WATERS MAY COVER ESCAPE ROUTES. STREETS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME RIVERS OF MOVING WATER WITH UNDERPASSES SUBMERGED. DRIVING CONDITIONS BECOME DANGEROUS. MANY ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES WITH SOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT. PREPARE FOR DANGEROUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED TO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. * SURGE: PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND COASTAL REGIONS FROM MATAGORDA BAY THROUGH GALVESTON BAY. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING MAINLY ALONG IMMEDIATE SHORELINES AND IN LOW-LYING SPOTS, OR IN AREAS FARTHER INLAND NEAR WHERE HIGHER SURGE WATERS MOVE ASHORE. - SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ROADS AND PARKING LOTS BECOME OVERSPREAD WITH SURGE WATER. DRIVING CONDITIONS DANGEROUS IN PLACES WHERE SURGE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. - MODERATE BEACH EROSION. HEAVY SURF ALSO BREACHING DUNES, MAINLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOCATIONS. STRONG RIP CURRENTS. - MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND PIERS. A FEW SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS. ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED. * WIND: PREPARE FOR DANGEROUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ALONG THE TEXAS COAST. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - SOME DAMAGE TO ROOFING AND SIDING MATERIALS, ALONG WITH DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, AND SHEDS. A FEW BUILDINGS EXPERIENCING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES. MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED, ESPECIALLY IF UNANCHORED. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES. - SEVERAL LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED. SEVERAL FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER. - SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. A FEW BRIDGES, CAUSEWAYS, AND ACCESS ROUTES IMPASSABLE. - SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES, BUT MORE PREVALENT IN AREAS WITH ABOVE GROUND LINES. ALSO, PREPARE FOR HAZARDOUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ACROSS MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS ---------------------------------- * EVACUATIONS: LISTEN TO LOCAL OFFICIAL FOR RECOMMENDED PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE EVACUATION. IF ORDERED TO EVACUATE, DO SO IMMEDIATELY. IF EVACUATING, LEAVE WITH A DESTINATION IN MIND AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO GET THERE. TAKE YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT. GAS UP YOUR VEHICLE AHEAD OF TIME. FOLLOW DESIGNATED EVACUATION ROUTES. SEEK TRAFFIC INFORMATION ON ROADWAY SIGNS, THE RADIO, AND FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES. MANY LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE NOW ISSUED VOLUNTARY EVACUATION ORDERS FOR THOSE LIVING IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS. PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL OFFICIALS FOR EVACUATION INFORMATION FOR YOUR AREA. * OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: NOW IS THE TIME TO CHECK YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN AND EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY AND SECURE YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. WHEN MAKING SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS DECISIONS, DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK SINCE HAZARDS SUCH AS FLOODING RAIN, DAMAGING WIND GUSTS, STORM SURGE, AND TORNADOES EXTEND WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE STORM. IF YOU LIVE IN A PLACE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO FLOODING, SUCH AS NEAR THE OCEAN OR A LARGE INLAND LAKE, IN A LOW-LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREA, IN A VALLEY, OR NEAR AN ALREADY SWOLLEN RIVER, PLAN TO MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER ON HIGHER GROUND. CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER.GOV, NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. * ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: - FOR INFORMATION ON APPROPRIATE PREPARATIONS SEE READY.GOV - FOR INFORMATION ON CREATING AN EMERGENCY PLAN SEE GETAGAMEPLAN.ORG - FOR ADDITIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION SEE REDCROSS.ORG NEXT UPDATE ----------- THE NEXT LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX AROUND 10 PM CDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.