Hurricane Beryl Heading for South Texas

Source: Waves crash ashore as Hurricane Beryl spins offshore on July 3, 2024, in Kingston, Jamaica. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Hurricane Beryl has been one for the history books as it’s the earliest category five Atlantic hurricane in recorded history, the first in July since Hurricane Emily in 2005. The storm has devastated the Caribbean, made landfall in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula Friday morning, and could possibly hit Texas Monday.

While Beryl hasn’t entered the Gulf of Mexico yet, that doesn’t mean it won’t have an impact on beaches over Fourth of July weekend. As the storm moves over the gulf, dangerous rip currents could develop, creating hazardous swimming conditions for the holiday weekend, according to CNN . In the U.S. this year, 19 people have died due to rip currents, many of which were along the Gulf Coast.

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While Beryl has weakened from a category fiver hurricane, it still remains a category two over Mexico with wind speeds of 100 mph. It could weaken further as it remains away from the warm ocean waters, but it could slowly regain strength as it moves back into the gulf.

Based on current forecasts, the storm is expected to make landfall over South Padre Island late Sunday night as a category one hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center. This could bring heavy winds and rains to much of South Texas, including Houston heading into next week.

Landfall in Texas would make Beryl the first tropical storm to reach the U.S. during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Make sure you have a plan in place if you decide to head south for the holiday weekend. If you’re at home and within the storm’s reach, make sure you have essentials like food, water and emergency supplies on hand.

Hurricane Beryl has claimed at least seven lives since reaching the eastern Caribbean earlier this week.

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