Map shows first tropical storm of season heading for US with severe flooding
The first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season has formed and is heading toward Texas with heavy rain, high winds and a flooding threat.
Tropical Storm Alberto has shaped up in the western Gulf of Mexico as a ‘very large system with rainfall, coastal flooding, and wind impacts extending far from the center along the coasts of Texas and northeastern Mexico’, stated the National Hurricane Center at 10am CDT on Thursday.
It is expected to make landfall in Mexico on Wednesday night, and bring heavy to the northeastern part of the country as well as south Texas and parts of Central America.
‘The rainfall will likely produce considerable flash and urban flooding along with new and renewed river flooding,’ stated the center.
That includes moderate coast flooding along much of the Lone Star State’s coast through Thursday.
On Wednesday, tropical storm conditions were expected on parts of the Texas coast south of San Luis Pass.
Meanwhile, life-threatening flooding and mudslides were forecast for high terrain areas in the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, as well as the cities of Ciudad Victoria and Monterrey.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday night ordered the state’s Division of Emergency Management to put the emergency center on level 2 readiness, activating 24-hour operations.
‘As we prepare for severe tropical weather, Texas is activating all personnel and resources needed to support Texans and communities that will be potentially impacted by excessive rain and flooding,’ stated Abbott.
The National Weather Service has advised residents in areas under the warning to have five to seven days’ worth of water, food and other supplies.
Tropical Storm Alberto comes just a week after the first tropical disturbance of the season brought rare flash floods to South Florida and drowned streets and forced some people to abandon their vehicles.
This hurricane season has been predicted to be extremely active.
As Texas faces Tropical Storm Alberto, about 71million Americans in other parts of the country were under heat advisories or warnings on Wednesday.
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