Weather Alert

THIS PRODUCT COVERS SOUTHEAST TEXAS **AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND BETA STRONGER** **HURRICANE WATCHES AND STORM SURGE WATCHES ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS** NEW INFORMATION --------------- * CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: - A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHERN LIBERTY - A STORM SURGE WATCH AND HURRICANE WATCH HAVE BEEN ISSUED 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 HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN LIBERTY - A STORM SURGE WATCH 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 300 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TX OR ABOUT 310 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MATAGORDA TX - 25.5N 92.3W - STORM INTENSITY 60 MPH - MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHEAST OR 30 DEGREES AT 12 MPH SITUATION OVERVIEW ------------------ AT 1000 PM CDT, TROPICAL STORM BETA WAS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. BETA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 12 MPH AND A SLOW WESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATE SATURDAY, WITH A SLOW NORTHWESTWARD MOTION FORECAST TO BEGIN LATE SUNDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH LATE MONDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF BETA WILL SLOWLY APPROACH THE TEXAS COAST THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST, AND BETA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE ON SUNDAY. LOCALLY, BETA IS EXPECTED TO BRING DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG THE COASTAL LOCATIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING RAIN AND POSSIBLE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS. 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. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ----------------- * SURGE: PREPARE FOR LIFE-THREATENING SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ALONG THE BARRIER ISLANDS AND COASTAL REGIONS FROM MATAGORDA BAY THROUGH GALVESTON BAY. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - AREAS OF INUNDATION WITH STORM SURGE FLOODING ACCENTUATED BY WAVES. DAMAGE TO SEVERAL BUILDINGS, MAINLY NEAR THE COAST. - SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ESCAPE ROUTES AND SECONDARY ROADS BECOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOW SPOTS. - MAJOR BEACH EROSION WITH HEAVY SURF BREACHING DUNES. STRONG AND NUMEROUS RIP CURRENTS. - MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND PIERS. SEVERAL SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS, ESPECIALLY IN UNPROTECTED ANCHORAGES. ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED. * FLOODING RAIN: PREPARE FOR LOCALLY HAZARDOUS RAINFALL FLOODING HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED IMPACTS ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE: - LOCALIZED RAINFALL FLOODING MAY PROMPT A FEW EVACUATIONS. - RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY QUICKLY RISE WITH SWIFTER CURRENTS. SMALL STREAMS, CREEKS, CANALS, AND DITCHES MAY BECOME SWOLLEN AND OVERFLOW IN SPOTS. - FLOOD WATERS CAN ENTER A FEW STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE SPOTS. A FEW PLACES WHERE RAPID PONDING OF WATER OCCURS AT UNDERPASSES, LOW-LYING SPOTS, AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. SEVERAL STORM DRAINS AND RETENTION PONDS BECOME NEAR-FULL AND BEGIN TO OVERFLOW. SOME BRIEF ROAD AND BRIDGE CLOSURES. ELSEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS, LITTLE TO NO IMPACT IS ANTICIPATED. * WIND: PREPARE FOR LIFE-THREATENING WIND HAVING POSSIBLE EXTENSIVE IMPACTS ALONG THE TEXAS COAST. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE: - CONSIDERABLE ROOF DAMAGE TO STURDY BUILDINGS, WITH SOME HAVING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES LEADING TO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. MOBILE HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED, WITH SOME DESTROYED. DAMAGE ACCENTUATED BY AIRBORNE PROJECTILES. LOCATIONS MAY BE UNINHABITABLE FOR WEEKS. - MANY LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED ALONG WITH FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER. - SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. SEVERAL BRIDGES, CAUSEWAYS, AND ACCESS ROUTES IMPASSABLE. - LARGE AREAS WITH POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES. ALSO, PREPARE FOR DANGEROUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE LIMITED TO SIGNIFICANT 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. * 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 4 AM CDT, OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.