Texas Under Hurricane Watch As Tropical Storm Nicholas Strengthens

Officials from Louisiana and Texas are preparing for the latest tropical threat that could hit the Gulf Coast, a report said.

Tropical Storm Nicholas was closing in on the coast of Texas Monday morning, and AccuWeather forecasters said the storm could produce a significant flooding threat around the greater Houston area.

At 8 AM EDT Monday, Nicholas was moving erratically approximately 210 miles south from Port O’Connor, Texas, and 40 miles southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande River. Maximum sustained winds were 60 mph. The storm moved slowly to the north at five mph, down 14 mph just three hours before. The tropical-storm-force winds reached outwards up to 115 miles from Nicholas.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that a hurricane watch was in effect for areas between Port Aransas and Freeport, Texas. A tropical storm warning was also in effect for Texas‘ coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to High Island. Storm surge warnings were also in effect for some parts of Texas‘ coast.

Although wind shear is still a factor that will prevent Nicholas from becoming a hurricane, AccuWeather forecasters believe there is still a possibility that Nicholas could become a Category 1 hurricane.

Wind shear refers to the direction and speed changes in winds as they rise in the atmosphere. Strong wind shear can cause a tropical system to tip or become lopsided if it is located hundreds of miles downstream.

Nicholas will continue riding northward and bring a flooding and wind threat to the coast of Mexico through Monday morning.

As a tropical hurricane, Nicholas will make landfall on the Texas coast between Corpus Christi and Galveston on Monday. However, it can have devastating effects on the Gulf Coast even before it makes landfall.

However, due to the system’s slow, curved path, high winds are also possible.

Travel delays are possible for residents and visitors within 75 miles of the Texas coast or southwestern Louisiana.