Hurricane Beryl Expected to Make Landfall in Texas, Forecasters Predict

The first hurricane of the 2024 season, Hurricane Beryl, is making its way towards Texas after causing devastation in the Caribbean. Forecasters predict that the storm, which has already claimed the lives of at least nine people, will hit Texas by Monday morning, potentially diminishing to a tropical storm by then.

Beryl, which became a Category 5 hurricane, was downgraded to a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph as it moves west-northwest at 20 mph. The head of Mexico’s civil defense agency, Laura Velázquez, stated that Beryl is expected to hit a relatively unpopulated area south of Tulum as a Category 1 hurricane early Friday. However, once the storm reemerges into the Gulf of Mexico, it is expected to regain hurricane strength and could impact the Mexico-U.S. border at Matamoros.

In preparation for the storm, Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino has issued a voluntary evacuation order for the state’s most southern county. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also ordered the Texas Department of Emergency Management to issue advisories as needed, urging residents to follow local guidance.

AccuWeather meteorologists have highlighted the southern portion of the Texas coast, including Corpus Christi and Brownsville, as areas to watch closely for potential impacts from Hurricane Beryl. The Weather Channel warns of high surf, rip currents, and coastal flooding along the Gulf Coast from eastern Mexico to Texas and western Louisiana, with the rip current threat extending to the northern Gulf Coast as well.

As Texas braces for the impending storm, state officials are closely monitoring Beryl’s path and advising residents to stay informed and prepared for potential impacts early next week.