Tropical Storm Harold made landfall on Padre Island, Texas, Tuesday morning and dropped heavy rain on parts of the state, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm formed overnight in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to bring strong winds and rain for the next few hours.
Harold is expected to move west toward Laredo, Texas, which sits on the state’s border with Mexico, and continue to move in that direction, covering parts of northern Mexico, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Domenica Davis . After making landfall, winds from Harold are expected to reach 50 mph on Tuesday, but drop to 35 mph early Wednesday morning and to 25 mph later on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service warned of flash flooding for parts of the Southwest, with 3 to 5 inches of rain expected for some areas through early Wednesday. Some areas could receive up to 7 inches of rain, the weather service said. The coast can also experience rough surf.
South Texas was expected to see 2 to 4 inches of rain through Wednesday with “scattered instances” of flash flooding possible, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the mouth of the Rio Grande to Port O’Connor, Texas, and for Port O’Connor to Sargent, Texas.
The storm will continue to move west and could bring flash flooding, especially in Utah’s canyons, which the weather service says are prone to flooding. In addition to heavy rainfall, strong winds may come as the storm moves inland.
On Tuesday morning, the weather service office in Corpus Christi, Texas, warnings issued about high winds, rough surf and possible waterspouts and hail for Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay near the Gulf Coast.
“The Rain Moves In!” the office posted on social media Tuesday morning. “We will see rain showers moving through the area today. Be careful on your morning drive with likely heavier downpours. Remember, if you see water over a roadway, it doesn’t take much for your vehicle to stop.”
Caitlin O’Kane
