Tropical Storm Harold makes landfall in Texas, torrential rain, strong winds continue

Tropical Storm Harold made landfall on Padre Island in South Texas late Tuesday morning, and as the storm makes its way inland and weakens, it’s continuing to produce torrential rain, strong winds, and large waves that are battering the coast and increasing the risks of flash flooding and coastal flooding.

Wind gusts so far have included a gust of 62 mph at Corpus Christi International Airport and a 63 mph wind gust at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station – both solidly within tropical-storm criteria.

Preparations were made across the region as Tropical Storm Harold spun across the western Gulf of Mexico on a path toward the Lone Star State.

Schools in Santa Gertrudis, Texas, were closed ahead of Harold’s arrival. And out of an abundance of caution, all Texas A&M University-Kingsville locations, including the Citrus Center in Weslaco suspended normal operations at 8 a.m. CDT on Tuesday.

In addition to schools, roads across the region were also closed due to flooding.

According to the Corpus Christi Police Department, Harbor Bridge Project crews were forced to close the Northwest Loop Ramp connecting to southbound SH 286 (Crosstown Expressway). Flooding also forced the closure of the Northwest Loop Ramp connecting southbound SH 286, and drivers in the area needed to be detoured around the flooding.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy state resources and activated the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to Level 2 (Escalated Response Conditions) ahead of Tropical Storm Harold’s arrival.

“Texas stands ready to deploy all available resources to South Texas as tropical storm conditions impact the region this week,” Abbott said in a statement. “Ahead of heavy rainfall and dangerous winds expected (Tuesday), I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to increase the readiness level of the State Operations Center to ensure the swift deployment of support and resources to affected communities. 

Abbot went on to urge Texans to remain weather-aware and listen to the advice of state and local officials and emergency management personnel.

Where is Tropical Storm Harold?

Tropical Storm Harold is now about 20 miles east-southeast of Hebbronville, Texas, and is moving to the west-northwest at 21 mph. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph with higher gusts.

What is the forecast track for Tropical Storm Harold?

The current forecast track has the storm continuing to the west-northwest, which will take Harold on a path farther inland over southern Texas and northern Mexico.

What watches and warnings are in effect for Tropical Storm Harold?

A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the mouth of the Rio Grande to Port O’Connor, Texas. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Port O’Connor to Sargent, Texas.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case, within 24 hours. A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case, within 24 hours.

What are the expected impacts of Tropical Storm Harold?

Tropical Storm Harold is expected to bring much-needed rain to the South Texas area Tuesday and Wednesday, the FOX Forecast Center said. Rainfall amounts of 2-3 inches with locally higher amounts up to around 3-5 inches across South Texas is possible through early Wednesday.

The heavy rainfall may produce areas of flash and urban flooding. 

With generally dry ground thanks to rapidly developing drought conditions, flash flooding will be a concern for places like Corpus Christi, Laredo, and Brownsville on Tuesday.

As Tropical Storm Harold continues its advance across southern Texas, there is the risk of severe thunderstorms that could produce damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes through the afternoon hours. Already there have been a handful of brief Tornado Warnings along the coast.

The (NHC) said the combination of a storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising water moving inland from the shoreline.

Water could rise 1-3 feet from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Sargent, including Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi Bay and Matagorda Bay. The NHC said the deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near to and north of Tropical Storm Harold’s landfall location, where the NHC says the surge will be accompanied by large waves crashing onshore.

Rain will taper off later Wednesday, with dry weather returning for the rest of the week. 

Critical fire weather conditions remain where Harold just misses

While parts of South Texas may get a little too much rain from Tropical Storm Harold, drought-stricken areas just to the north of the storm are looking south with jealous eyes.

“The tough thing when it comes to Harold is the spots that really needed (the rain): San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas — so close, yet so far away,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin. “Folks in Southeast Texas and Hill Country; they were so excited there was going to be a weak tropical storm to bring them rain, and they’re going to be left out.”

Much of Texas is in some level of drought, and it’s been weeks since it’s rained in Dallas and San Antonio.

Areas to the north of Harold may see a little rain Tuesday, “but not like what we’re going to see in South Texas,” Merwin said. “When you’re facing extreme drought conditions from the Hill Country and Southeast Texas into North Texas these are areas that could be facing huge wildfire risks in the next 4-6 weeks if they don’t get rain and unfortunately, they are missing out, and they are missing out by such a close margin.”

To illustrate the dichotomy, critical fire weather conditions are forecast Tuesday for parts of Texas just north of Harold’s expected trek across the southern border Tuesday.

Fire Weather Warnings are in effect for a large swath of central and east Texas as hot and dry conditions outside Harold’s rain bands combine with a period of gusty winds as the tropical storm passes by to the south to bring dangerous conditions ripe for rapid spread should any fire begin.