Tropical Storm Beryl entered the heated waters of the Gulf of Mexico where it’s forecast to grow into a hurricane before striking the Texas coast on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 7 p.m. on Sunday, the center of Beryl is located 105 miles south-southeast Matagorda, Texas and 120 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph moving north-northwest at 12 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out 115 miles from the center.
A hurricane warning remains in effect for the Texas coast from Port Aransas north to San Luis Pass with a hurricane watch from the north of San Luis Pass to Port Bolivar.
A tropical storm warning is in effect from south of Port Aransas to Port Mansfield and from the north of San Luis Pass to Sabine Pass.
The Mexican government discontinued the tropical storm warning from Barra el Mezquital north to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
A storm surge warning remains in effect from Port Aransas to Sabine Pass, including Matagorda Bay and Galveston Bay.
“A turn toward the north-northwest is expected tonight, with a turn toward the north on Monday,” NHC said. “On the forecast track, the center of Beryl is expected to make landfall on the Texas coast Monday morning.”
With Gulf surface temperatures in the high 80s and lower wind shear on Sunday, the NHC warned the rate of intensification was likely to increase in the final 24 hours before landfall, and it forecasts Beryl to be a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 90 mph and gusts up to 115 mph.
Storm surge from 3-5 feet is expected along parts of the Texas coast, which already last month endured damage from surge created by Tropical Storm Alberto.
Also, from 5 to 10 inches with some areas getting up to 15 inches of rain are forecast for portions of the Texas Gulf Coast and eastern Texas beginning late Sunday through midweek that could cause flash and urban flooding.
The storm’s churn in the Gulf is also producing dangerous coastal waves all the way to Florida’s panhandle with swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Three men visiting Florida last month died in rip current effects in the wake of Alberto.