Houston, Texas – The United States faced extreme weather on Wednesday as Texas prepared for the arrival of the first tropical storm of the hurricane season. Meanwhile, the Northeast continued to grapple with a significant heat wave.
In Southern Texas, residents braced for a major storm expected to hit late Wednesday into Thursday, with forecasters predicting flash flooding. The weather system, currently named Potential Tropical Cyclone One, is forecasted to be upgraded and rebranded as Tropical Storm Alberto by the time it reaches the Gulf Coast of Mexico early Thursday.
Tropical storm warnings have been issued along the Texas coast from the San Luis Pass to the mouth of the Rio Grande, with Corpus Christi expected to experience as much as 10 to 15 inches of rainfall and strong winds. The state government activated a large-scale emergency response to prepare for potential widespread flooding.
The National Weather Center office in Houston reported coastal flooding as rain moved inland early Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center warned that the disturbance was extensive, with impacts likely to be felt far beyond the storm’s center along the coasts of Texas and northeastern Mexico.
Additionally, the hurricane center cautioned that there was a risk of life-threatening mudslides in higher areas of northern Mexico, including around Monterrey and Ciudad Victoria. Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state Division of Emergency Management to elevate the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to readiness level 2 in anticipation of the severe weather.
Preparations for the storm included mobilizing resources such as the Texas A&M Forest Service, which deployed teams and vehicles, and the Texas National Guard, which activated personnel and helicopters. Residents in affected areas were advised to have five to seven days’ worth of supplies on hand, including food, water, and other essentials.
The storm warning coincided with 71 million people under heat advisories or warnings as a severe heat wave was expected to persist through Friday, underscoring the multiple weather challenges facing different regions across the country.
