Beta likely to drench Houston
Tropical Storm Beta began lashing the Southeast Texas coast on Sunday with high tides in what is expected to be a prolonged rainfall event for the Houston region, threatening flood-prone areas with dangerous storm surges and intermittent thunderstorms through Wednesday.
National Weather Service forecasters said aggressive tides overnight into Monday likely would flood low-lying portions of the coast from Matagorda to Galveston, making some roads impassable.
The storm system, which maintained maximum wind speeds of 60 mph on Sunday, was not expected to strengthen before its estimated landfall of 1 p.m. Monday near Matagorda.
The worst of Beta’s rain will drench the region from Monday through Wednesday morning, when the storm system veers northeast, forecasters say. Intermittent thunderstorms will dump up to 15 inches of rainfall on coastal counties during that time. Houston-area residents can expect 6
to 10 inches of rainfall.
While meteorologists predict manageable flood levels further inland, Mayor Sylvester Turner on Sunday warned Houstonians to stay vigilant.
“Things could change,” Turner said. “This is 2020. We have to expect the unexpected.”
On Sunday night, Beta was crawling west-northwest at 5 mph. Despite the storm’s sluggish speed, Turner does not believe it will be a repeat of Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Imelda. The good news, he continued, is that the rain will not arrive all at once. He expects street flooding and, depending on rainfall location, some structural flooding.
Meteorologists said the stretch of coastline from Matagorda to Freeport on Monday will face the brunt of Beta’s 60 mph gusts, while Galveston Bay and coastal areas further north will see gusts closer to 39 mph. Much of the Houston area will not experience prolonged tropical storm force winds, according to Matt Lanza of Space City Weather.
Lanza said Beta’s center may stall near where it makes landfall on Monday. At that point, showers and thunderstorms will hit Houston in waves, primarily Monday and Tuesday.
A wall of dry air could weaken the storm upon it’s arrival, he said.
“We don’t want folks to just assume this is a nonevent; you should remain vigilant in the days ahead,” he said. “There will be periods of heavy rainfall. But as far as major, widespread flooding (in Houston), we do not see that scenario as being likely at this time.”
On Sunday afternoon, water flooded at least one neighborhood street in Seabrook and areas of Sylvan Beach in La Porte. Videos shared on social media show water creeping up to coastal homes in Jamaica Beach. In Chambers County, the tidal flooding covered a roadway on Smith Point. And in Galveston, a KPRC reporter was filmed Sunday night wading through ankle-deep water in The Strand.
The Galveston Ferry suspended services because of the high tide conditions. By Sunday night, water levels near Galveston Bay had risen to 5 feet and were expected to rise another foot in the early-morning hours.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for much of the inland areas from Houston to Victoria. A storm surge warning was issued for areas closer to the coast.
Turner said the city’s public works department has focused most of its barricade and high water equipment in south Houston neighborhoods. He does not anticipate having to open shelters in case floodwaters force residents from their homes.
“Hopefully the bands will come, and then things will die down — bands will come again — to allow the water to recede,” Turner said.
Houston-operated coronavirus testing sites are closed Monday, officials said. Several school districts also canceled classes, including Galveston, Angleton, Brazosport, Clear Creek, Dickinson, Friendswood, Matagorda, Sweeny, Santa Fe and Columbia-Brazoria.
Galveston, Brazoria and Chambers county governments all issued voluntary evacuations for their residents on Saturday ahead of the storm. Liberty County followed suit on Sunday afternoon.
Ahead of the storm, Gov. Greg Abbott said state emergency operations were set to an escalated response.