Tropical storm warning in S. Texas
Although on track for northeast Mexico, the system should bring relief to drought areas
Much-needed storms soaked South Texas on Saturday as a tropical system moved over northern Mexico.
While the system only had about a 50 percent chance of growing into a named storm, high winds and up to 8 inches of rain were anticipated as Potential Tropical Cyclone 4 prepared to make landfall near Texas’ southern border.
“Most of the rain will fall in isolated to scattered showers/ storms rather than steady bands,” said National Weather Service forecasters at the Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley office.
Mexico’s government issued a tropical storm warning for its Gulf Coast from Boca de Catan north to the mouth of the Rio Grande with fear of wind gusts of 40 mph, flash flooding and mudslides, according to National Hurricane Center. Storm surges could reach 1 foot, causing life-threatening surfs and rip currents, officials said.
Forecasters said the disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico “could still strengthen slightly,” but only had a 50 percent chance to become a tropical storm over the weekend. A hurricane hunter mission late Saturday morning found a broad area of calm winds near the center, but no signs of an organized surface circulation.
Laura Farris, an NWS meteorologist, said the threat seemed to be decreasing but would be monitored closely.
If the storm picks up power, it would be called Danielle and would be the fourth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurri
cane season. So far, the season has been mostly quiet; no major storms have developed in the Atlantic. The three storms this year all lasted less than 48 hours and had minimal effects.
But there is still time in the season for more storms as the Atlantic hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30 and usually peaks between mid-August and October. Warmer ocean water contribute to more activity.
That system is not related to the storms moving through Houston over the weekend. Houston saw about 3 inches of rain over the last 48 hours, according to an NWS report.
The area will see more thunderstorms on Sunday morning, with similar conditions to Saturday.
The rain brings benefits to Texas, where severe drought conditions have devastated crops and caused other hardships. More than 60 percent of the state was covered by extreme to exceptional drought as of mid-August.