Southeast Texas may get a long duration of significant rainfall.
Tropical Storm Beta, which was moving north-northeast at 2 mph in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico late Saturday, might reach hurricane strength Sunday night or Monday before a potential landfall in Texas on Monday night or Tuesday morning.
There is still a lot of uncertainty to the track that Beta takes, but the latest forecast shows the storm slowly moving toward the Texas coast with a possible landfall as a strong tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane.
Or, Beta could turn and run parallel to the Texas coast.
Even without a landfall, the slow storm will bring heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and storm surge to the western Gulf Coast in the coming days.
The rainfall forecast depends on the exact track, but the latest forecast shows rainfall totals reaching 6 to 10 inches along parts of the Texas and Louisiana coast through Wednesday. Eventually the heavier rain will spread inland across southeastern Texas and much of Louisiana, with several inches of rain possible.
A storm surge of 2 to 4 feet is possible along much of the Texas coastline and the western Louisiana coast during high tide.
Like Sally — which made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Alabama on Wednesday — Beta could prove how slow-moving storms are especially dangerous.
The heavy rain could hit the Louisiana coast Saturday night and bands of heavy rain may start in Texas on Sunday.
A tropical storm warning is in effect along much of the western Gulf Coast, from Port Aransas, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.
A hurricane watch has been issued for portions of the Texas coast, from Port Aransas to High Island, due to the uncertainty of the storm strength and timing of impacts.
A tropical storm watch is in effect along the remainder of the Texas coast as well as the south central Louisiana coast.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Teddy remains a major Category 3 hurricane. The center of Teddy is forecast to pass east of Bermuda late Sunday into Monday as a Category 2 hurricane, bringing tropical storm conditions by Sunday night.
