Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a disaster declaration for the southern parts of the state on Wednesday as it prepares for the first tropical storm of the year, forecast to make landfall in nearby northern Mexico on Thursday.
Tropical Storm Alberto is slated to bring heavy winds and rains to South Texas and potential flooding across most of the Gulf Coast in the coming days, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned.
Abbott said that state authorities have deployed significant resources to prepare residents for the storm, and he encouraged Texans to stay vigilant of changing weather conditions.
The storm had wind speeds of about 40 miles per hour as of Wednesday afternoon, according to NWS, and will make landfall just south of the U.S.-Mexico border early Thursday.
Major Texas cities could see as much as 5 inches of rain, according to the Hurricane Prediction Center, which could cause dangerous flooding. NWS said there is a “high probability” of flash flooding in South Texas near the storm.
AccuWeather hurricane forecaster Alex DaSilva said current conditions in the gulf are “nearly ideal” for tropical storms.
“Water temperatures are very impressive. It’s basically bathtub water across most of the Atlantic Basin, and it’s just going to continue to get warmer,” he said in a statement. “That area and coastline is shaped like a bowl, that can actually help to induce spin. We have seen a lot of tropical development in that area over the years.”
Alberto marks the first of what will likely be many tropical storms this year, in what forecasters predict to be a “hyperactive” hurricane season.