In preparation for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Beryl, Texas, officials have added 81 additional counties to the state’s disaster declaration, bringing the total number to 121. The storm’s forecasted path has shifted, now expected to make landfall further north and east than initially predicted.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, currently acting as governor while Governor Greg Abbott is traveling in East Asia, urged Texans to finalize their storm preparations. “As Hurricane Beryl approaches the Gulf Coast, today and tomorrow will be the last 2 days for Texans to make preparations for the coming storm,” Patrick warned. “Beryl is a determined storm, and incoming winds and potential flooding will pose a serious threat to Texans who are in Beryl’s path at landfall and as it makes its way across the state for the following 24 hours.”
Patrick emphasized the potential for localized flooding and heavy rain in areas further from the coast, including College Station, Tyler, and Texarkana. He advised residents to stay informed through local officials and to complete their preparations promptly.
The newly added counties to the disaster declaration include Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Collin, Colorado, Comal, Dallas, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lamar, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, Marion, McLennan, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller, Washington, Williamson, and Wood counties. Patrick mentioned that more counties could be added if necessary.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Tropical Storm Beryl will strengthen as it moves northwest through the Gulf of Mexico before taking a northerly turn and making landfall as a hurricane along the mid-Texas coast on Monday.
Cities along the Texas Gulf Coast have issued warnings and advisories, urging visitors to avoid travel and, in some cases, enacting mandatory evacuations for non-residents. In Corpus Christi, officials have asked tourists to leave early due to anticipated flooding. Port Aransas, a popular beach city on Mustang Island, has announced a mandatory evacuation for all non-resident visitors, effective noon Sunday.
As Hurricane Beryl approaches, Texans are reminded to heed official warnings and complete necessary preparations to ensure safety and minimize damage.
