Governor Greg Abbott activated state emergency response resources Monday and held a severe weather briefing at the Texas State Emergency Operations Center in Austin as a tropical system in the northern Gulf moved toward the Upper Texas Coast.
The system would be the first tropical storm Texas has faced this calendar year, according to an Aug. 31 news release from the governor’s office. The National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area of low pressure in the northern Gulf that is expected to bring moisture to Texas communities beginning Monday and continuing through midweek, with heavy rain, flooding and rip currents the primary threats.
“Saving lives is the most important thing that we can do,” said Governor Abbott. “It is essential that individuals prioritize their personal safety and stay away from rising water. This is the first tropical storm Texas has faced this calendar year, so take this opportunity to gather supplies like food, water, and gas. Most importantly, follow guidance from local officials over the next 24 to 48 hours.”
Impacts are also possible farther inland as the system moves across the state, the governor’s office said, and excessive heat and humidity are contributing to the intensity of storm impacts. Tropical-storm-force wind gusts along the coast could cause isolated power outages, and the state is coordinating with electric power providers, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to monitor grid conditions and support a rapid response if outages occur.
At the governor’s direction, the Texas Division of Emergency Management requested that representatives of Texas Emergency Management Council member agencies report to the operations center for 24-hour operations, among them the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas A&M Forest Service, the Texas Department of State Health Services, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas National Guard. Council agencies are also continuing wildfire response and monitoring across large portions of the state, the release said.
Abbott was joined at the briefing by Public Utility Commission Chairman Thomas Gleeson, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, TDEM Assistant Agency Director and Chief of State Operations and Incident Support Orlando Alanis, Texas Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Colonel of Law Enforcement Operations Jason Taylor, Texas Military Department Chief of Staff Rodney Kelley, Texas Parks and Wildlife Law Enforcement Director Colonel Ronald VanderRoest and Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director Marc Williams.
The governor’s office directed Texans to TexasReady.gov for tropical weather safety information, DriveTexas.org for road conditions and tdem.texas.gov/prepare for all-hazards preparedness tips. State officials urged residents to know their local flood risks, sign up for community warning systems and never attempt to drive across flooded roadways.