The National Hurricane Center said Sunday that another tropical storm had formed in the Gulf of Mexico, the 14th named storm of the year. Tropical Storm Nicholas is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Texas and the already soaked Louisiana, which is still recovering after taking a direct hit from Hurricane Ida.
Nicholas is forecast to approach the middle Texas coast and strengthen to a strong tropical storm on Monday. There is a chance it could achieve hurricane-force winds if it moves right of the forecast track and stays over water longer than expected.
Tropical storm conditions are expected along portions of the middle Texas coast beginning Monday afternoon, with hurricane conditions possible Monday night from Port Aransas to Sargent. The National Hurricane Center warned there is a danger of “life-threatening” storm surge from Port Aransas to San Luis Pass.
A storm surge warning is in effect for the coast of Texas from Port Aransas to San Luis Pass, including Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, and Matagorda Bay.
Tropical storm conditions are also expected along the northeastern Mexico coast and the coast of south Texas beginning Monday morning.
While the most severe parts of the storm are not expected to hit Louisiana, Governor John Bel Edwards tweeted that all of southern Louisiana should “keep a close eye on Tropical Storm Nicholas.”
At least 26 people died in Louisiana from Hurricane Ida, which made landfall on August 31 in the state as an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm. The storm did not weaken for several hours as it slammed Louisiana, ripping the roofs off buildings and snapping power lines. Some areas of the state still do not have power.
Another four people died in the Southeast, while 52 others were killed in the Northeast after Ida’s remnants brought tornadoes and severe flooding to the area last week.
Sophie Reardon contributed to this report.
