Texas Governor Initiates Emergency Readiness Ahead of ‘Potential Tropical Cyclone One’

A man jumps from a wave as Hurricane Hanna begins to make landfall, in Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 25, 2020. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

A potential tropical cyclone advisory was issued this week for parts of Southeast Texas, prompting Gov. Greg Abbott to activate the state’s emergency response resources ahead of the potential storm.

Mr. Abbott announced in a news release on Monday that he had ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to prepare for the storm’s impact on communities along the Gulf Coast.

“Texas stands ready to deploy all resources and assistance needed to help support communities in Southeast Texas that are in the path of the potentially devastating tropical storm,” Mr. Abbott said in a statement.

The state’s TDEM readiness system resources include air, ground, and water search and rescue teams, utility crew mobilization, and air, water, and wastewater monitoring.

The National Hurricane Center’s warning predicts that the disturbance will likely become the season’s first hurricane, which will be named Tropical Storm Alberto.

“The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone One, located over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico,” the agency warned Tuesday morning, adding an 80 percent chance of formation over the next 48 hours.

As the name suggests, the system has not yet become a tropical storm, but it is expected to develop as early as Tuesday night along portions of the Texas coast and northeastern Mexico.

“The warning is in effect for ... the Texas coast from Port O-Connor southward to the mouth of the Rio Grande” and “northeastern coast of Mexico south of the mouth of the Rio Grande to Puert de Altamira,” the National Hurricane Center said.

The disturbance extends outward up to 290 miles with sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts, and it is expected to strengthen over the next 36 hours.

It is also expected to generate significant amounts of rainfall across the region and “will likely produce considerable flash and urban flooding.”

“The disturbance is very large with rainfall, coastal flooding, and wind impacts likely to occur far from the center along the coasts of Texas and northeastern Mexico,” according to the National Hurricane Center.

Mr. Abbott warned community members to stay alert and follow local officials’ guidance during intense or emergency conditions.

“I urge Texans to remain weather aware and heed the guidance of local officials to keep themselves and their families safe,” he said. “Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

The National Weather Service is continuing to monitor and track the storm.

NOAA Predicts ‘Above-normal’ Hurricane Season

Last month, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an “85 percent chance of an above-normal” hurricane season in the Atlantic basin this year over 2023’s somewhat mild season. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through the end of November.

NOAA has estimated that this hurricane season will see 17 to 25 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. As many as 13 of those storms are expected to become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher, including four to seven major hurricanes with winds exceeding 111 mph.

The agency calculates its hurricane season predictions based on several factors, including near-record warm water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, La Nina conditions in the Pacific, and lower trade winds in the Atlantic.

“At the same time, abundant oceanic heat content in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea creates more energy to fuel storm development,” the forecasters said. 

It has also utilized artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to assist in its predictions.

“AI-enabled language translations and a new depiction of inland wind threats in the forecast cone are just two examples of the proactive steps our agency is taking to meet our mission of saving lives and protecting property, said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad in a statement on May 23.