Hurricane Beryl made a powerful entrance into Texas early Monday morning, landing around Matagorda at 3:50 a.m. CT as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm unleashed torrential rains, severe flooding, and wind gusts reaching between 70-90 mph, resulting in extensive power outages across East Texas. “Life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall are ongoing across portions of Texas,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported in their 5 a.m. CT update. “Damaging winds are ongoing along the coast, with strong winds moving inland.”
Wind speeds and power outages
As of the 5 a.m. CT update, Beryl’s sustained winds held steady at 80 mph, with the storm positioned about 70 miles southwest of Houston. These powerful winds have led to nearly 400,000 electrical customers losing power, according to PowerOutage.us. Gusts have been recorded at 91 mph in Freeport, 89 mph in Matagorda Bay, 86 mph in Matagorda City, 81 mph in Palacios, 79 mph at Houston/Dunn, 78 mph in Galveston, and 60 mph at Houston Intercontinental Airport. Numerous Hurricane Warnings, Storm Surge Warnings, and Tropical Storm Warnings remain in effect for the Texas Gulf Coast. The threat of tornadoes has also prompted a Tornado Watch for the region.
Storm surge and flooding
The storm surge is expected to reach 3-7 feet in some areas near Beryl. Water was already advancing into the Texas coast and bays as the storm approached, with measurements reaching 3.2 feet in Sargent and 2.6 feet in Matagorda Bay as of 2:30 a.m. CT. Some gauges have since stopped reporting, possibly due to power outages. “That (storm) surge is just pouring into Treasure Island,” said FOX Weather Storm Tracker Mark Sudduth. “You could see it pouring in like a raging river right now.” Torrential rainfall, falling at rates of 2-4 inches per hour, has accompanied these surges.
On-the-ground reports
Reporting live from Surfside Beach, Texas, FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin described the intensity of the storm: “It feels like the entire backs of my legs are on fire because it stings,” she said early Monday morning. “The raindrops almost turn into a needle head. Almost like, as if you were getting a tattoo. Like, it’s that kind of feel of that persistent needle pressure against your skin.”
Continued impact and forecast
Hurricane-force winds over 74 mph are expected to continue near the storm’s centre, which is forecast to pass near the Houston metro area later Monday morning. Tropical storm-force gusts of 40 mph or more are extending 115 miles from Beryl’s center, with gusts in the Houston Metro area potentially reaching 60-70 mph. In response, Houston’s METRO has suspended all local buses and METRORail services until at least 8 a.m. Monday.
East Texas could see 5–10 inches of rain, with localized amounts of up to 15 inches. The Houston area is forecast to receive 5–8 inches, with heavier amounts in the southern and western suburbs. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi, Texas, warned that any outer rain bands could produce tropical storm-force gusts and possibly isolated tornadoes.
Beryl’s northward journey
As Beryl continues its northward trek, it is expected to bring rain and strong winds as far north as Michigan by the end of the workweek. The storm’s forecast cone indicates it will weaken but maintain tropical depression strength from Arkansas through Michigan throughout the week. A tropical depression is defined as a cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less and is identified by numbers rather than names. The impact of Hurricane Beryl underscores the importance of preparedness and vigilance during hurricane season, as communities grapple with the immediate aftermath and begin recovery efforts.
