Topline
Parts of the Texas coast are under a tropical storm warning Wednesday as the National Hurricane Center announced the formation of Tropical Storm Alberto, the year’s first named tropical storm, which will bring heavy rains, flooding and gusty winds through Thursday.
Key Facts
The tropical storm warning is in effect for the Texas coast from San Luis Pass, a channel about 70 miles south of Houston, down to the mouth of the Rio Grande.
The warning is also in effect for the northeastern coast of Mexico, as the storm is expected to move west and make landfall in the country by Thursday.
Although the storm is not forecasted to make landfall in Texas, the NHC has warned its large size is still likely to bring 5 to 10 inches of rain to the state alongside a storm surge that could bring tides inland and cause one to four feet of flooding above ground in places like Galveston Bay, Sargent, Sabine Pass and the mouth of the Rio Grande.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott increased the readiness level of Texas’ state emergency operations center Tuesday, greenlighting additional resources and personnel to help areas impacted by the storm.
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Key Background
This year’s hurricane season is expected to be an active one. An outlook issued in May by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted between 17 and 25 named storms—which includes tropical storms and hurricanes—will form this year. Of the range of storms predicted, the federal agency forecasts four to seven storms that will be category 3 or above. The prediction exceeds the 14 storms observed per year on average in the U.S. and could top the 20 named storms that materialized last year. Government forecasters have attributed their prediction to higher than average sea surface temperatures and La Niña—a weather event that cools ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific.
Further Reading
Government Forecasters Issue Most Dire Hurricane Season Prediction In Their History—Here’s Why (Forbes)
Texas Tropical Storm Watch: What To Know As This Year’s First Storm Threat Brews In Gulf Of Mexico (Forbes)
La Niña Could Bring Record-Breaking Heat To The U.S. This Summer—What To Know (Forbes)