The National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Watch and public advisory of “increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds” along the North Texas coast in wake of a developing tropical cyclone forming in the Gulf of Mexico.
The last tropical storm to have formed in the Gulf of Mexico this year was Tropical Storm Ernesto in mid August, which developed into a hurricane before hitting Puerto Rico and Bermuda.
As of 4 am, the National Hurricane Center issued an Intermediate Advisory for potential tropical cyclone six citing “increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds along the Louisiana and upper-Texas coasts by mid-week.” Officials expect it to become a tropical storm this Monday and forecast that it will develop into a hurricane by Wednesday.
As of 4 am Monday, September 9, the storm was moving north, northwest with an expected northeast moved late Tuesday when the storm is predicted to be just offshore of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Officials predict that the storm will move toward the Upper Texas coastline and Louisiana on Wednesday.
Tropical storm conditions expected include 4 to 8 inches of total rainfall, rising up to 12 inches of rainfall in local areas along the Texas coast into Louisiana. These are conditions are possible within the watch area of southern Texas starting Tuesday. Tropical storms sustain maximum winds around 50 mph, with gusts of higher speeds. Tropical storm winds span 185 miles from center.
Presently, officials have a Tropical Storm Watch in effect for Barra del Tordo to the Mouth of the Rio Grande and Mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield. The Tropical Storm Watch is issued when tropical storm conditions are expected in affected areas generally within 48 hours.
The NHC stated in its public advisory that a tropical storm, storm surge, and hurricane watch are likely to be issued later today.
Late Sunday, Centerpoint Energy stated in a post on X/Twitter that it was monitoring the storm activity along the Gulf Coast.
“In preparation for potential severe weather, our ongoing planning includes preparing staging sites, crews and equipment, as well as continuing to secure additional frontline resources from mutual assistance companies.”
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