(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Beryl is tearing across Texas after making landfall in the state as a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning.
At least six people have been killed by fallen trees or by drowning and more than two million customers are without power across Texas due to torrential rain and powerful winds.
Hurricane Beryl first killed at least seven people in the Windward Islands before skirting south of Jamaica, shutting down communications, stranding tourists and delivering storm surge and flooding rain to the island.
Here’s how the news is developing:
Jul 08, 8:15 PM
Officials confirm three more fatalities, raising death toll to six in Texas
The death toll in Texas from tropical storm Beryl has risen from three known fatalities to at least six, officials confirmed Monday evening.
Three people were killed in Montgomery County due to falling trees from the storm, according to Chief of Staff for Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough.
One man riding a tractor on a public roadway was killed when a tree fell on him and a couple was killed in a wooded area when a tree fell on them, according to Keough.
The three previously confirmed deaths included two from falling trees and one from drowning.
As of Monday evening, Beryl was designated as a “tropical depression” by officials, due to its sustained winds of 35 mph.
Beryl is moving northeast at 16 mph, continuing to gain speed as it weakens.
Jul 08, 6:56 PM
2.7 million people still without power, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a Monday press briefing that 2.7 million people across the state are still without power and 10 transmission lines are down.
It will take “several days” to restore power, Patrick said, and the priority will be first restoring it in hospitals, nursing homes and the homes of people that depend on respirators or medical devices with failed generators.
Officials urged members of the public to stay inside and not drive.
Three people have been confirmed dead, two from falling trees and one from drowning.
Jul 08, 6:19 PM
Houston mayor confirms third victim has died in deadly storm
A third person in the U.S. has died due to tropical storm Beryl, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced early Monday evening.
The man, who was a civilian employee of the Houston Police Department, died after driving into flood conditions on the way to work Monday morning. His body was retrieved from a submerged car.
The victim has not been publicly identified, and no other details were given about him. His family is currently being notified.
Jul 08, 4:58 PM
47 high water rescues in Harris County
As floodwaters from Beryl rushed through the streets, crews carried out 47 high water rescues across Harris County, which encompasses Houston, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo told reporters.
Street flooding is still significant Monday afternoon, Hidalgo said, and she urged residents to stay home.
In terms of storm surge, Hidalgo said, “Things turned out a little bit better than we expected.”
Beryl’s rough winds have caused more than two million customers to lose power across the state. Hidalgo said there will be a clearer picture Tuesday on the timeline for power restoration in Harris County.
Jul 08, 4:08 PM
Sugar Land ‘weathered the storm as well as we could’
In Sugar Land, Texas, just outside of Houston, Beryl has dumped 5 to 10 inches of rain and knocked out power to most of the population, according to Mayor Joe Zimmerman.
“The hurricane passed almost right over us,” Zimmerman told ABC News Live.
But he added, “We were ready.”
“We had activated our emergency operations center yesterday at noon. We had staff on two, 12-hour shifts, and that staff was able to keep everything up and running,” he said.
“It was a considerable wind event. We’ve got trees down, we’ve got branches down, we’ve got inlets clogged up,” the mayor said. “But we’ve got crews out there, we’ve got our public works crews out there, police, fire, EMS, everybody’s available. I think Sugar Land weathered the storm as well as we could.”
Jul 08, 3:32 PM
5 to 9 inches of rain inundates Houston area
Tropical Storm Beryl has inundated the Houston area with 5 to 9 inches of rain as it continues to slam east Texas with flooding and gusty winds.
Wind gusts reached 84 mph in Houston and 94 mph in Freeport, Texas.
Beryl has also brought tornadoes to east Texas. A tornado watch is in effect through Monday night in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.
The storm will steadily weaken through the afternoon. Beryl was the earliest in the season hurricane to make landfall in Texas since Bonnie in 1986.
Jul 08, 3:30 PM
Beryl’s latest forecast
Beryl is expected to remain a tropical storm as its center passes near Lufkin in east Texas on Monday night.
By Tuesday morning, Beryl will reach Arkansas and is expected to weaken to a tropical depression.
Rain from Beryl will hit Indiana Tuesday morning and then move into Detroit Tuesday night.
Beryl’s remnants will then drop heavy rain in Vermont on Wednesday.
The rain will reach Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening and into Philadelphia and New York City overnight into Thursday morning. Flash flooding is possible.
Jul 08, 1:39 PM
2.7 million without power in Texas
Power has been knocked out to more than 2.7 million customers in Texas as Hurricane Beryl slams the state with powerful winds and torrential rain.
ABC Houston station KTRK-TV briefly lost power in its newsroom Monday morning.
Jul 08, 12:52 PM
Man rescued from truck submerged in floodwaters
Houston firefighters rescued a man who was trapped on his submerged truck as the floodwaters rapidly rose around him.
The rescuers dropped a life preserver ring to him and guided him to the shore.
Eight people have been rescued in Houston so far, according to Houston police.
“Shelter in place — do not put our first responders in further danger,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a news conference.
Jul 08, 11:14 AM
Two killed by fallen trees in Houston area
A 53-year-old man was killed by a fallen tree while riding out Hurricane Beryl with his family, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The man, his wife and children were in a house in Atascocita in the Houston area when an oak tree fell on the roof, hitting the rafters, the sheriff said. The structure then fell on the man, killing him.
His wife and children were not hurt, the sheriff said Monday morning.
Hours later, the sheriff said a 74-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on a home in Houston.
Jul 08, 11:07 AM
Biden receiving updates, FEMA prepared to respond
President Joe Biden is receiving regular updates on Beryl as the storm rips across Texas, according to a White House official.
Senior White House officials are in close contact with their state and local counterparts and employees from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are standing by to offer support, the official said.
“The U.S. Coast Guard and FEMA have prepositioned response personnel including search and rescue teams, and FEMA has staged bottled water, meals, tarps and electric generators in case they are needed,” the official said.
Jul 08, 11:03 AM
Up to 7 inches of rain pounds Houston, Galveston
Up to 7 inches of rain has pounded the Houston and Galveston areas so far and another 2 to 4 inches of rain is in the forecast for the next few hours.
The storm surge has topped 6 feet.
Wind gusts have reached a whopping 94 mph in Freeport, Texas; 82 mph in Galveston Bay, Texas; and 84 mph at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport.
Flood warnings and tornado warnings are in effect in the Houston area through Monday afternoon.
Tornadoes have also been reported.
Jul 08, 10:55 AM
Beryl weakens to tropical storm
Beryl weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm late Monday morning after making landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane.
Jul 08, 10:53 AM
Serious accidents, transformer fires reported
Hurricane Beryl has caused serious accidents, transformer fires and downed power lines in Spring, Texas, near Houston, according to the Spring Fire Department.
Spring is under a flash flood warning until 1 p.m. local time.
Jul 08, 9:36 AM
Beryl’s latest forecast
As Hurricane Beryl races inland, flash flooding will be a threat as far north as Arkansas, where 3 to 6 inches of rain is possible through Monday night.
Moisture from Beryl is forecast to move into the Ohio Valley by Tuesday and Wednesday. Flooding is possible as far north as Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.
Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning, some of that moisture will combine with a stationary front in the Northeast, bringing the possibility of heavy rain to the Interstate 95 corridor Wednesday night.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Jul 08, 9:30 AM
650 flights canceled in Houston
At least 650 flights have been canceled in Houston on Monday as Hurricane Beryl pounds the region.
So far, 527 flights set to leave George Bush Intercontinental Airport have been canceled while another 123 flights were dropped at William P. Hobby Airport.
United Airlines said it has suspended operations at George Bush Intercontinental Airport until at least 4 p.m. local time.
Jul 08, 9:26 AM
Man killed by fallen tree in Houston area
A 53-year-old man was killed by a fallen tree while riding out Hurricane Beryl with his family, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
The man, his wife and children were in a house in Atascocita in the Houston area when an oak tree fell on the roof, hitting the rafters, the sheriff said. The structure then fell on the man, killing him.
His wife and children were not hurt, the sheriff said Monday morning.
Jul 08, 8:00 AM
Power outages fall to 130,000, PowerOutage.us says
About 130,000 customers in Texas were without power just before 7 a.m. on Monday, according to PowerOutage.us.
While the total outages fell, the number of customers in the storm’s path with outages rose. In Matagorda and Brazoria counties there were about 13,450 and 40,000 customers without power respectively, according to the tracking site.
-ABC News’ Amanda M. Morris
Jul 08, 7:23 AM
Wind gust of 92 mph recorded in Freeport, Texas
A wind gust of 92 mph was recorded at about 6 a.m. in Freeport, Texas, the National Weather Service said.
Maximum sustained winds at the time were about 80 mph, officials said. Category 1 storms generally have sustained wind speeds of 74 to 95 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Sustained wind speeds at Palacios Municipal, a coastal airport near where the storm made landfall, were at about 61 mph, officials said. Gusts at the airfield had climbed as high as 81 mph.
-ABC New’s Max Golembo
Jul 08, 6:07 AM
Almost 200,000 without power in Texas, PowerOutage.us says
More than 199,000 customers were without power across Texas early Monday, about an hour after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, according to PowerOutage.us.
Many of those outages were along the Gulf Coast, where the Category 1 hurricane made landfall, according to the tracking website.
About 21,000 customers were without power in Brazoria County, about 12,000 were without power in Matagorda County and about 5,000 were without power in Galveston County, the site said.
-ABC News’ Amanda M. Morris and Kevin Shalvey
Jul 08, 5:07 AM
Beryl makes landfall in Texas
Hurricane Beryl made landfall at about 4 a.m. on Monday near Matagorda, Texas, the National Hurricane Center said.
The hurricane brought with it a “dangerous” storm surge and strong winds, officials said. Flash flooding was expected.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo
Jul 08, 2:40 AM
Beryl expected to move inland over Texas, Arkansas
As Beryl heads toward the Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane, the storm is forecast to make landfall in the next few hours before turning northeastward.
The storm’s expected to move farther inland over eastern Texas and Arkansas late Monday and Tuesday.
If Beryl makes landfall as a Category 1 storm, it would be the first landfalling hurricane in the lower 48 states since Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Keaton Beach, Florida, on Aug. 30 2023 as a Category 3 hurricane.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
Jul 08, 2:26 AM
Winds increase to 80 mph
Hurricane Beryl’s top sustained winds increased to 80 mph, as the storm moved toward the Texas coast.
The Category 1 hurricane was about 30 miles south-southwest of Matagorda at about 1 a.m. local time. It was about 95 miles from Corpus Christi.
The storm was moving north-northwest at about 10 mph, with a turn toward the north expected this morning.
Beryl’s center is expected during the next several hours to make landfall on the middle Texas coast.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
Jul 08, 1:54 AM
Rainbands move onto Texas coast
As Hurricane Beryl continued toward the Texas coast, radar indicated the heaviest rainbands along the eyewall have moved onto land.
The Category 1 hurricane had top sustained winds of about 75 mph just after midnight local time.
-ABC News’ Richard Von Ohlen
Jul 08, 12:39 AM
Beryl becomes a hurricane again as it heads toward Texas
Beryl has become a Category 1 hurricane as it heads toward Texas, the National Hurricane Center announced just after midnight ET on Monday.
Hurricane Beryl’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 75 mph. The storm is expected to strengthen before it makes landfall on the Texas coast.
Currently, Beryl is about 65 miles from Matagorda, Texas and 105 miles from Corpus Christi.
Jul 07, 11:08 PM
Beryl expected to become hurricane before reaching landfall overnight
Beryl remains a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph as of Sunday evening. However, the storm is expected to become a hurricane again before making landfall.
Currently Beryl is about 75 miles from Matagorda, Texas.
The storm is expected near Matagorda between 3 and 5 a.m. local time.
Jul 07, 8:10 PM
Beryl’s winds reach 70 mph as it heads toward Texas coast
As Texans brace for hurricane conditions, officials said Beryl currently has 70 mph winds as it moves toward the coast.
By Sunday evening, the tropical storm was located 105 miles southeast of Matagorda, Texas, moving northwest at a rate of 12 mph.
Jul 07, 8:10 PM
Officials urge Texans on the coast to evacuate
In a press conference Sunday, Texas Lt. Gov Dan Patrick urged people living on the state’s coast to evacuate before the storm hits.
“We don’t see many people leaving,” Patrick said. “You don’t want to be on the road tomorrow.”
Texas Division of Emergency Management officials said over 50 ambulances are on standby to assist with evacuating hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, if needed.
“This storm has already left nine deaths in its path through the Caribbean. We don’t want number 10 to be in Texas,” Patrick said.
Jul 07, 9:01 PM
Beryl is closing in on Texas with up to 7 feet of storm surge forecast
The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the Texas coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Officials are forecasting up to 7 feet of storm surge, above normal tide levels for Matagorda Bay and Port O’Connor to San Luis Pass.
The possible storm surge is forecast to reach up to 6 feet in Galveston Bay, officials said.
Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances, according to the NHC.
Jul 07, 1:40 PM
Houston school campuses close as Beryl approaches
The Houston Independent School District announced Sunday that all its campuses will be closed as tropical storm Beryl bears down on the Texas coast and is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane when it makes landfall.
The school district sent out a message Sunday to students, staff and parents that it is canceling summer classes and activities, and closing all campuses and buildings on Monday and Tuesday.
Beryl was a tropical storm on Sunday in the Gulf of Mexico, but is expected to strengthen overnight and make landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane early Monday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.
-ABC News’ Gina Sunseri
Jul 07, 12:37 PM
Beryl could be a Category 1 hurricane when it slams Texas: NHC
Beryl remains a tropical storm but was gaining strength over open warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to be a Category 1 hurricane by Sunday night and is expected to make landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
In an update on Beryl’s path issued at 10 a.m. CT, the hurricane center said winds generated by Beryl had slightly increased to 65 mph.
“Beryl [is] becoming better organized and forecast to become a hurricane before landfall,” the hurricane center said in its latest update.
The storm is expected to make landfall on the middle Texas Coast near Matagorda Bay on Monday.
A Hurricane Warning has been issued for the Gulf Coast from Baffin Bay north to San Luis Pass. A Storm Surge Warning was also issued for the coast of Texas from High Island to Sabine Pass.
“Beryl is forecast to become a hurricane again later today. Continued strengthening is expected overnight before Beryl reaches the Texas coast,” according to the hurricane center’s statement.
The hurricane center warned that a few tornadoes could also occur along the middle and upper Texas Coast through Sunday night and across eastern Texas and western
Louisiana on Monday.
In addition to storm surges of up to 6 feet, Beryl is expected to dump heavy rain on the Texas coastal cities.
“Heavy rainfall of 5 to 10 inches with localized amounts of 15 inches is expected across portions of the middle and upper Texas Gulf Coast and eastern Texas beginning today through Monday night,” the hurricane center said.
The White House said Sunday that President Joe Biden is monitoring Beryl as FEMA prepositions response teams.
“The President and his team continue to monitor Tropical Storm Beryl as it makes its way towards South Texas,” a White House official said. “We are in close contact with our state and local counterparts and FEMA has prepositioned response personnel, search and rescue teams, bottled water, meals, tarps and electric generators in case they are needed. On Sunday, FEMA activated its National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) to further support local response efforts.”
-ABC News’ Daniel Amarante
Jul 07, 6:20 AM
Beryl to make landfall as hurricane Monday morning in Texas
Beryl remained early Sunday a tropical storm with winds of 60 mph.
The storm has been slow to strengthen over the past several hours, which is potentially good news for the residents of the Texas coast.
Even though strengthening is expected, each hour that this storm delays that intensification will help contribute to a weaker storm upon landfall.
A hurricane warning is in effect from Baffin Bay to San Luis Pass.
A storm surge warning is in effect for Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Galveston Bay. During the peak of the storm on Monday morning, surge may reach 4 to 6 feet above normal tide in Mesquite Bay and Matagorda Bay.
There are also numerous other hurricane watches, tropical storm watches and warnings, and storm surge watches across the Texas coast.
Beryl is still forecast to make landfall near Matagorda Bay as a Category 1 Hurricane on Monday morning.
-ABC News’ Daniel Amarante
Jul 06, 10:25 PM
Galveston issues voluntary evacuation notice
An island city on the Gulf Coast of Texas issued a voluntary evacuation of the island’s west end, Galveston officials said in a press release on Saturday.
While officials feel the chances of tides above five feet are currently very low, tides above that level could prevent travel on major roads and make it difficult for the city to respond to emergencies, the press release said.
Brian Maxwell, Galveston city manager, noted that predictions for the track of Beryl have not changed.
The size of Beryl has expanded slightly, according to the National Weather Service, and as a result, the island’s west end is currently under a storm surge warning.
Mayor Craig Brown “signed the order out of an abundance of caution,” said Maxwell.
If residents choose to stay in a low-lying area, they may not be able to safely leave for several hours, and emergency services may not be available while tides remain elevated, emergency management officials said.
Jul 06, 5:09 PM
Beryl now less than 400 miles from Corpus Christi
Beryl, now less than 400 miles from Corpus Christi, remains a tropical storm with winds of 60 mph, moving at 13 mph.
Beryl is moving over water that is slightly warmer than normal, by 1 to 2 degrees.
As Beryl approaches the Texas coast it will move over much warmer waters, 4 and 5 degrees above normal. The warmer water is expected to help boost Beryl back into a hurricane before making landfall northeast of Corpus Christi on Monday morning.
Hurricane Warnings have been issued for parts of Texas, from Baffin Bay northward to Sargent. Tropical Storm Warnings are now issued north of Sargent to High Island.
Landfall may occur with the center of circulation most likely northeast of Corpus Christi — the greatest impacts remaining north of that city as well. There is still time for this track to change over the next 24 hours.
The last hurricane to make landfall in Texas was Nicholas in September 2021, which was a Category 1 and made landfall on the northern side of East Matagorda Bay.
The last hurricane to make landfall just north of Corpus Christi was Harvey in 2017 as a Category 4. Harvey then stalled and dumped historic rainfall over southeast Texas. Beryl is not expected to stall and therefore similar impacts as Harvey are not expected, in terms of rainfall, wind or storm surge.
A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the entire coast south of San Luis Pass due to the hurricane-strength, over 74 mph sustained wind expected along the Texas coast.
Jul 06, 12:33 PM
Hurricane watch in effect for parts of Texas
A Hurricane Watch is in effect in Texas from the Rio Grande Valley to San Luis Pass, just west of Galveston Island, with a Storm Surge Watch from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to High Island, Texas.
Storm surge is forecast to be 3 to 5 feet in Corpus Christi and Matagorda Bay, and 2 to 4 feet in Galveston Bay. These numbers are subject to change depending on the exact track and intensity of the storm as it approaches landfall.
Residents along the Texas coast need to be prepared for a powerful hurricane with life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and significant flooding.
Flooding rain is often the most impactful aspect of tropical systems. In terms of rainfall amounts, much of southeastern Texas is looking at 5 to 10 inches, with locally higher amounts up to 15 inches. Most of this rain will fall on Monday and Tuesday.
Jul 06, 12:27 PM
Now a tropical storm, Beryl expected to strengthen before hitting Texas
Beryl remains a tropical storm with winds of 60 mph as it churns in the Gulf of Mexico as of Saturday morning, but it is expected to strengthen before hitting Texas on Sunday with potential Category 1 strength.
On Saturday, Beryl may take some time to recover, but is forecast to begin strengthening by the end of the day. The storm is moving into favorable conditions for hurricanes, with warm water and limited wind shear.
The track from the National Hurricane Center takes Beryl towards the Texas coast by late Sunday night into early Monday, likely as a strong Category 1 Hurricane.
Currently, the most likely landfall location is around Matagorda Island, just east of Corpus Christi, but that will likely need to be adjusted as the storm’s track becomes more “fine-tuned” in the next day or so.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
