MIAMI (AP) — The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning on Monday for the Gulf of Mexico coast from the Galveston and Houston, Texas, area to the western parishes of Louisiana.
As of Monday evening, the storm was classified as a tropical depression, an early stage of a tropical cyclone with swirling winds and thunderstorms over warm ocean waters. Forecasters expect it will strengthen into a named storm by Monday night and make landfall
in Texas on Tuesday.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the biggest problem expected from the storm is flooding. Forecasters are anticipating 3-6 inches (7-15 centimeters) of rain in the greater Houston area, with some areas of the state's upper coast getting up to 9 inches (22 centimeters). More than 4 inches (10 centimeters) per hour could fall and will likely cause flash flooding in low-lying and urban areas, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This is our first big storm of the season, and I’ll tell you, Texas is prepared,” Orlando Alanis of the Texas Division of Emergency Management said during a news conference.
The tropical depression was centered Monday evening about 105 miles (170 kilometers) south of Morgan City, Louisiana, and 185 miles (300 kilometers) southeast of Port Arthur, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph).
Crews worked Monday to clear dry vegetation that could ignite from a lightening strike and cause fast-spreading fires, Abbott said.
Meanwhile, the remnants of Hurricane Dolly brought rain and thunderstorms to parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the Turks & Caicos, and the Bahamas, the hurricane center said.
In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Lowell was about 740 miles (1,1190 kilometers) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and moving west with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). Forecasters said Lowell could rapidly intensify by Monday night or Tuesday and reach the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands later this week.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Karina strengthened Monday into a powerful Category 4 storm, but isn't threatening land, forecasters said.
Karina has intensified quickly since becoming a hurricane Sunday, fueled by warm waters far from any shore. It was centered about 1,055 miles (1,700 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico and moving west, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph), the center said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but waves were expected to affect Mexico and likely Southern California. Additional strengthening was possible on Monday, followed by fluctuations in intensity, the Miami-based center said.
