July 7, 2024, Tropical Storm Beryl news

Our live coverage of Tropical Storm Beryl has moved here.

While Beryl is still a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, the hurricane watch across the Texas coast north of San Luis Pass to Port Bolivar has been upgraded to a warning, according to the National Hurricane Center. 

Some models warn of potentially significant strengthening before landfall. 

The center of Tropical Storm Beryl is about 75 miles south-southeast of Matagorda, Texas, moving north-northwest at 10 miles per hour. Tropical storm-force winds extend about 115 miles from the center of Beryl.

Here are the current warnings from the NHC: 

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaks at a news conference July 7.

Residents in Harris County, Texas – which includes Houston – should take shelter from midnight until noon Monday as Beryl moves through the region, county judge Lina Hidalgo announced Sunday.

“We need you to prepare and be ready for the next 24 hours,” Hidalgo said in a Sunday evening news conference.

The most severe winds, rain and storm surge are expected between midnight and noon Monday, she said.

All county buildings will be closed on Monday, Hidalgo said.

More than 120 lineworkers and support staff have traveled from Ohio to Texas in to assist in case Beryl leaves widespread power outages in its wake, the utility company AEP Ohio announced.

The workers began their journey on Saturday to assist the AEP Texas branch.

“Corpus Christi, we’re on our way! With Beryl’s path expected to bring extensive power outages to AEP Texas’ service territory, more than 120 of our lineworkers and support team from across the state left early this morning for the two-day road trip as they move into place to aid in restoration efforts,” AEP Ohio posted on social media Saturday.

The utility delivers electricity to more than 1 million homes and businesses in south and west Texas. South Texas is expected to be heavily affected by Beryl.

Hurricane hunter aircraft investigating Beryl report the storm’s top wind speed has strengthened slightly to 70 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

“Strengthening is expected, and Beryl is forecast to become a hurricane again tonight,” the agency said in its 8 p.m. ET update. “Additional strengthening is expected before Beryl reaches the Texas coast early Monday.”

Beryl is located about 100 miles south-southeast of Matagorda, Texas, which is where landfall is anticipated before dawn Monday.

Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center and should be moving onshore in Texas between Corpus Christi and Galveston in the next hour or two.

Here’s where Beryl’s impacts will likely be felt:

Tropical Storm Beryl is seen headed toward Texas in an image taken at 6 p.m. ET on July 7.

Tropical Storm Beryl still has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, according to the 5 p.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center. Beryl is located about 130 miles south-southeast of Matagorda, Texas, and moving to the north-northwest at 12 mph. 

It should bring the center of Beryl to land in about 12 hours, just before dawn in between Corpus Christi and Galveston, Texas, near Matagorda. 

Beryl is still forecast to intensify in the hours leading up to landfall and is expected to become a hurricane again before reaching land.

Tropical storm-force winds extend out 115 miles from the center and should be reaching the coast in the next couple of hours.

Storm surge is already being experienced across the Texas coastline, with tides running 1-2 feet above normal tide levels. These levels will increase significantly as the storm approaches overnight. The storm surge forecast has increased slightly on the high-end, with up to 7 feet of surge expected between Port O’Conner and San Luis Pass, including all of Matagorda Bay.

Here’s more from the NHC’s latest update:

Meanwhile, authorities are preparing along the Gulf Coast to help the public when the storm reaches land.

Fort Bend County will close all county offices Monday in preparation for Tropical Storm Beryl’s effects in the greater Houston metro area, Fort Bend County Judge KP George said at a Sunday news conference.

Offices will open for “normal business” on Tuesday, said George.

The county is preparing for tropical storm force winds, flash flooding, power outages, possible tornadoes and road closures as Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to intensify to a Category 1 hurricane.

“We expect to have a Category 1 hurricane, but we are preparing for a Category 2,” said George.

The county is expected to receive between 8-10 inches of rain beginning late Sunday and into early Monday, said Fort Bend Emergency Management Director Greg Babst. Isolated areas of the county may receive up to 15 inches of rain.

The Brazos River, San Bernardo River and Parker Reservoir will be used to drain rainfall from Beryl, according to the Fort Bend Drainage District first assistant engineer Jeff Janecek.

High water vehicles and rescue boats have also been mobilized, according to Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan. 

Storm shelters will also be opened as needed after Beryl passes through the area, said Babst. The shelters will include cooling centers as high temperatures are expected in the Fort Bend area.

Galveston Mayor Craig Brown speaks at a press conference on July 7.

Galveston Mayor Craig Brown says the city is prepared for Tropical Storm Beryl as it makes its way to the Texas coastline.

He said the storm would likely reach them by 1 a.m., and the city would probably see a storm surge reaching up to five feet. They could see six to seven feet of storm surge if the storm moves a little more north. 

“That would cause a lot of flooding on the west end and in downtown Galveston,” Brown said. 

Businesses use sand bags to protect windows and entrances from Beryl in Galveston, Texas, on July 7.

Brown told reporters Sunday voluntary evacuations in the west end of Galveston Island went into effect at 10 a.m.

The Coast Guard shut down the Port of Galveston to traffic at 4 p.m., which Brown said would impact not only cargo but also cruise lines. 

Houston authorities also said they are preparing for the storm, pre-staging in areas that typically flood and asking residents to stay off the roads after 10 p.m. High amounts of rain could cause flooded roadways.

Some residents may suffer from power outages when Beryl makes landfall early Monday, said Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd.

He advised Texans to charge all their devices and have fuel in their vehicles as they make their final preparations.

Any family member who may be medically dependent on electricity at home should be moved to a safe place, he noted.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, right, speaks at a press conference in Austin, Texas, on July 7.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick advised people in Texas to take the incoming storm seriously.

Patrick said at a news briefing Sunday that some people on vacation in coastal areas were “not watching the storm” or downplaying its strength. Beryl, now a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane before it makes landfall.

He also warned of the dangers of potentially deadly rip currents, which will intensify with the storm, saying there are still a lot of people on the water.

Texans should also avoid driving in any streets so flooded that they can’t see the bottom: “In just a few feet of water, you’ll be drifting down the river,” he warned.

Patrick is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country.

At his news briefing on the approaching storm Sunday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick shared three ways Texans can stay safe as Beryl approaches:

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick advised evacuating residents to get out now and avoid traveling Monday, noting that coastal areas would likely see “serious flooding” and other effects.

Patrick, who is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country, noted that there are currently thousands of people visiting the Texas coast for Fourth of July vacation — but not many of them seem to be leaving ahead of the storm’s arrival.

“We have thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people who are spending their summer vacation there — holiday weekend on top of that,” he said. “There is a concern that because they’re not in their daily routine of watching the news, or checking their internet, or checking their emails, that they may not be aware of this storm.”

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warned that as Tropical Storm Beryl strengthens into a hurricane, it will be “a deadly storm” for people who are directly in its path.

He noted that 121 counties are now in the state’s disaster declaration area.

Motorists board the Port Aransas Ferry ahead of Hurricane Beryl's landfall in Port Aransas, Texas on July 6.

Several Texas counties have asked residents to evacuate due to the potentially dangerous conditions brought by Beryl, which is expected to make landfall early Monday as a hurricane.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is leading the storm response while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country, has issued severe weather disaster declarations for 121 counties as the state braces for heavy rainfall, flooding conditions and strong tropical wind.

Authorities have in particular warned residents in coastal areas and owners of RVs, boats and other large vehicles, “which are particularly vulnerable to high winds,” to consider voluntarily evacuating.

This post has been updated with the latest evacuation information.

A fisherman looks at fishing vessels damaged by Hurricane Beryl at the Bridgetown Fisheries in Barbados on July 1.

Forecasters have predicted that 2024’s Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through the end of November, will be busier than usual.

In April, the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project predicted an “extremely active” hurricane season, forecasting 23 named storms, including 11 hurricanes, five of them major.

In May, the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted an 85% chance for an above-normal season. It predicted a 70% chance of having 17 to 25 named storms, of which eight to 13 could develop into hurricanes, including four to seven major hurricanes.

Here’s what to know about these destructive storms:

What are hurricanes? The National Weather Service defines a hurricane as a “tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher.”

How are hurricanes rated? Hurricanes are rated according to the intensity of sustained winds on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The 1-5 scale estimates potential property damage.

A Category 3 or higher is considered a major hurricane.

How are storms named? A developing weather system gets a name when its winds reach 39 mph, making it a tropical storm.

There have already been three named storms — tropical storms Alberto and Chris, each of which hit Mexico in June, and now Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record.

Where are Atlantic hurricanes? These storms affect areas in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

The city of Galveston will close all public facilities in preparation for Tropical Storm Beryl’s landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, according to the local government’s Facebook page.

Police, fire and emergency services will continue as normal, the city said, along with public works crews that will address “storm-related infrastructure issues.”

City leaders anticipate reopening all public buildings and resuming city operations as normal on Tuesday.

Remember: Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to intensify and regain hurricane strength late Sunday, with the National Hurricane Center warning of a “possibility of a category 2 hurricane landfall” on Monday.

CNN’s Sharif Paget contributed to this report.

Tropical Storm Beryl is becoming stronger and more organized as it approaches the Texas coast, according to an 11 a.m. ET update from the National Hurricane Center.

Beryl currently has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is located 195 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, according to the center. The storm’s forward speed has slowed from 12 mph to 10 mph.

Some of the outer bands are beginning to arrive along the Texas coast in the form of briefly heavy showers and thunderstorms, the center said.

Beryl is still forecast to regain hurricane strength later today, turning toward the north-northwest this afternoon, with a turn toward the north on Monday. 

The center of the storm is expected to make landfall on the middle Texas coast early Monday. 

Here’s more from the NHC’s latest update:

President Joe Biden is monitoring Tropical Storm Beryl on Sunday as the storm approaches the Texas coast, a White House official said.

Beryl is expected to regain strength and make landfall near Corpus Christi as a Category 1 hurricane on Monday.

A traffic sign on US Highway 181 warns drivers ahead of Hurricane Beryl's landfall in Corpus Christi, Texas, July 6.

These are some preliminary forecast impacts and timelines for certain Texas coastal cities based on the current forecast for Beryl, which is barreling toward landfall.

South Padre Island

Corpus Christi

Victoria

Galveston

Houston

Palacio

A worker boards up windows at an ice cream parlor ahead of Beryl's landfall in Port Aransas, Texas, on July 6.

Beryl is forecast to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas, as a Category 1 hurricane Monday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center. Currently a tropical storm, Beryl is in the Gulf of Mexico about 245 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, fanning maximum winds of 60 mph as of 5 a.m. ET Sunday, the center said.

Texas is likely to start seeing the effects of Beryl later Sunday, and several counties have already announced evacuation orders.

Here’s what you need to know:

Hurricane and storm surge alerts: Hurricane warnings are in effect for the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to Sargent, while the stretches south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande River, and north of Sargent to San Luis Pass, are under hurricane watches.

A tropical storm warning is also in place for the area north of Sargent to High Island, and the Mexican coast from Barra el Mezquital to the Rio Grande. Storm surge warnings are in effect from the north entrance of the Padre Island National Seashore to High Island, including Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay and Galveston Bay.

The Texas coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande River northward to North Entrance of the Padre Island National Seashore, as well as San Luis Pass to Sabine Pass, are under storm surge watch.

Dangerous storm surge along US Gulf Coast: Tropical storm conditions will begin to be felt along the western Gulf Coast on Sunday, with hurricane conditions expected later in the day. Storm surge up to 6 feet is forecast for parts of the Texas coast late Sunday night into Monday as rising waters push inland from the shoreline. Rip currents will also cause life-threatening beach conditions through Monday across much of the Gulf Coast.

Flooding and damaging winds expected: Heavy rainfall of 5 to 10 inches, with localized amounts of 15 inches, is forecast across the Texas Gulf Coast and East Texas late Sunday through the middle of next week, the National Hurricane Center said. It’s expected to produce flash and urban flooding. Hurricane-force winds will hit the lower and middle Texas coast Sunday night and Monday. A few tornadoes could also occur along the Texas Coast Sunday afternoon and evening. “Preparations should be rushed to completion before tropical storm conditions begin late today,” the hurricane center said Sunday morning.

A worker boards up windows at the Port Aransas Nature Preserve office ahead of Hurricane Beryl's landfall in Port Aransas, Texas, on July 6.

Texas officials are warning about heavy rain and flooding, urging residents to prepare before Beryl is expected to hit coastal areas starting late tonight.

“Everyone along the coast should be paying attention to this storm,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is overseeing the response operations while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country.

Patrick said during a briefing on Friday that the state is likely to start seeing the impacts of Beryl starting Sunday into Monday. He asked all residents to be prepared, especially with people gathering around coastal areas for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management W. Nim Kidd gave some tips for residents to prepare for the storm:

“We need a prepared community, not a panicked community,” Kidd said, adding that his department is making sure state resources are available to support local governments.

A man walks through his living room after the roof of the home was blown off by the winds from Hurricane Beryl in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, on July 4.

Hurricane Beryl’s blow to Jamaica was worsened by climate change, a new rapid attribution analysis from ClimaMeter found.

Modern storms like Beryl tracking close to Jamaica are capable of unloading 30% more rain and 10% stronger winds compared to the similar storms from 1979 to 2001 because of human-caused climate change, the study found.

The storm drenched Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, in more than double the amount of rain it typically receives for the whole month of July in just 24 hours Wednesday. The city also endured 12 consecutive hours of tropical-storm force winds. The storm killed two people in the island nation.

An aerial view of a home damaged by Hurricane Beryl in Saint Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, on July 4.

Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic on record earlier this week.

Previous studies show there will be more of the most intense tropical cyclones as the planet warms from fossil fuel pollution; more storms are also rapidly intensifying as ocean temperatures rise; and rainfall from tropical cyclones is also being supercharged by the warming planet.

CNN’s Brandon Miller, Mary Gilbert, Michael Rios and Jennifer Deaton contributed to this report

Essential supplies are loaded onto a vessel destined for the island of Carriacou at Grenada Yacht Club in St. George's, Grenada, on July 2.

Beryl, an early-season storm super-charged by abnormally warm ocean temperatures, ripped through the Caribbean and Mexico en route to its expected landfall as a hurricane late Sunday in Texas.

Grenada’s Carriacou island was “flattened” when Beryl made landfall as a Category 4 storm, according to its prime minister. Several charities are actively distributing aid throughout the region.

Contribute to relief efforts here.