Beryl Strengthens to Category 1 Hurricane, Expected to Hit Texas

Beryl became a Category 1 hurricane Sunday night ahead of its anticipated landfall on the Texas coast, where it could bring a life-threatening storm surge and strong winds, U.S. forecasters said.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph Sunday night, elevating it from tropical storm status, according to the National Hurricane Center, citing National Weather Service radar and reports from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft. Air Force Reserve.

Beryl was about 65 miles south-southeast of Matagorda, Texas, and moving north-northwest at 10 mph, according to an update from the hurricane center at 11 p.m. local time.

The storm, which was a Category 4 hurricane when it devastated parts of the Caribbean island nations of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it had weakened to Category 2 when it made landfall Friday on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. This weakened coattshe Tthe tropical storm as it moved across the peninsula.

Beryl could make landfall in Texas along a stretch of coast from Baffin Bay northward to San Luis Pass, according to the hurricane center. That stretch is covered by a hurricane warning.

The National Weather Service office in Dickinson, Texas, said a likely landing area is the east side of Matagorda Bay, an area roughly halfway between Corpus Christi and Galveston. The arrival time from the hurricane center and the weather service was no more accurate than “overnight” and “early Monday.”

Early Sunday evening, Beryl’s rotating outer bands began brushing the Texas coast, according to the Corpus Christi office.

“Rain bands associated with the western side of Tropical Storm Beryl will continue along the coast immediately east of Port Aransas this evening,” the office said in X social media platform.

The storm is forecast to bring “life-threatening” storm surges of up to 7 feet and “damaging hurricane-force winds” to an area along the coast from Padre Island National Seashore to Sabine Pass.

Flash flooding is also possible along parts of the Central and North Texas Coast, inland to East Texas, through Monday night.

“Rip currents will cause life-threatening beach conditions through Monday across much of the Gulf Coast,” the hurricane center said in an update Sunday. “Bathers should pay attention to warning flags and advice from lifeguards and local authorities before venturing into the water.”

Rainfall of up to 15 inches is possible along parts of the middle and upper Texas coast and East Texas Sunday through Monday night, which could cause flash flooding.

A combination of storm surge and tide could cause dangerous flooding in normally dry areas near the coast, the center said. Matagorda Bay and the area from Port O’Connor to San Luis Pass could experience storm surges of 4 to 7 feet, while Galveston Bay could reach 4 to 6 feet.

“The deepest water will occur along the coast near and to the right of center, where the surge will be accompanied by large, destructive waves,” the hurricane center said. “Wave-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the wave and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.”

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were filling sandbags in south Texas for residents on Friday in preparation. A TikToker shared images of homes with boarded-up windows in South Texas.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Sunday that 121 counties are under state disaster declarations in anticipation of damage.

“Now is the time for Texans to make final preparations to protect themselves and their property,” he said in a statement.

The Houston Independent School District announced it will close all campuses on Monday and Tuesday because of Beryl.

Beryl is expected to turn northeast on Monday “and move further inland over eastern Texas and Arkansas on Monday and Tuesday,” according to the hurricane center.

This article was originally published in NBCNews. with