July 7th 2024.
As coastal residents in Texas prepared for the arrival of Tropical Storm Beryl, the rest of the country watched with concern as the powerful storm had already caused destruction in parts of Mexico and the Caribbean. The storm, which was projected to potentially regain hurricane strength before making landfall early Monday, had officials and residents on edge.
The projected path of Beryl had it coming ashore in Matagorda Bay, an area about 100 miles south of Houston. However, officials warned that the path could still change. Despite the potential danger, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who was acting as the state's governor while Gov. Greg Abbott was away, expressed worry that not enough people were heeding the evacuation orders.
One concern was that many roads leading away from the coast were still showing as clear on maps, indicating that people were not leaving. Along the coast, residents and business owners were taking precautions, but there was also uncertainty about the storm's intensity. Some, like Jimmy May in Port Lavaca, were not worried about the storm surge, citing past experiences where their businesses had escaped flooding.
Others, like Mark Richardson in Freeport, were concerned about the unpredictable path of Beryl and the rising ocean swells that he witnessed while spending the morning on the beach. Beryl had already caused at least 11 deaths as it passed through the Caribbean and was the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic.
Experts attributed Beryl's explosive growth to the record warmth in the Atlantic and Caribbean. Texas officials warned residents to prepare for power outages, flooding, and heavy rain. A hurricane warning was in effect for the area from south of Corpus Christi to south of Houston.
The storm was also a concern for Houston, where previous storms had caused power outages and flooding. A flash flood watch was in effect for a wide swath of the Texas coast, with forecasts predicting up to 10 inches of rain in some areas. Potential storm surges were also a concern, with warnings extending to the same areas that were hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
As Beryl closed in, flights from Houston's major airports were delayed or canceled, making it difficult for people to leave the area. In Corpus Christi, officials advised visitors to cut their trips short and residents to secure their homes with sandbags and plywood.
Residents in low-lying areas were asked to voluntarily evacuate, and beach camping was banned. Tourists were also urged to move their recreational vehicles from coastal parks. Beryl had already caused destruction in Mexico, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados before weakening to a tropical storm.
The storm's potential impact had also caught the attention of the White House, which had sent resources and emergency responders to the affected areas. As the storm neared, the focus was on safety and preparedness, and for Texans to heed the warnings and take necessary precautions.
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