Tropical Storm Beta Causes Flooding in Texas

TEXAS—September 23, 2020—Tropical Storm Beta made landfall late Monday between Corpus Christi and Galveston, Texas, bringing 45 mph winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge that caused flooding and road closures in areas around Houston and Galveston even ahead of the storm, according to CNN. Like Hurricane Sally, Beta is another slow-moving storm expected to soak coastal Texas and Louisiana with heavy rainfall and storm surge that could cause significant flash flooding and river flooding. Flash flood warnings were issued up and down the Texas and Louisiana coasts, impacting 11 million people.

As Tropical Storm Beta moved inland, it weakened to a tropical depression Tuesday and stalled over Texas, continuing to dump rain on the area. The AP reports parts of Houston and the surrounding area received as much as 14 to 18 inches of rain by Tuesday afternoon. First responders performed nearly 100 water rescues to assist those trapped on flooded roads, and officials urged residents to stay home as rain and flooding was expected to continue Tuesday night and into Wednesday. Beta is expected to move northeast at a continued crawl, bringing heavy rain and threats of flooding to parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi later this week, according to the AP. The storm could impact southwestern Louisiana which is still recovering from Hurricane Laura just three weeks ago.

Tropical Storm Beta was the 23rd named storm this year which took us into the Greek alphabet for storm names for just the second time since the 1950s. Beta was the ninth named storm to strike the U.S., tying a 1916 record for the most landfalls in a single season, according to the AP. Storms have formed at an unprecedented pace this year, and with more than two months remaining in the Atlantic hurricane season, it is likely that more storms are to come.