- Hanna is the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season.
- Hurricane force winds are likely along the Texas coast.
- The biggest danger is flooding the rain.
- Heavy local rains will spread across southern Texas to northeast Mexico.
- That strong local rain will persist long after making landfall.
- Strong waves and minor coastal flooding are expected along the northern and western Gulf coast.
Hanna is now a Category 1 hurricane and is heading toward a landing in South Texas later today, with the potential for flash floods of dangerous rains spreading inland into Northeast Mexico.
Conditions are deteriorating in South Texas, with increasing rains and gusts of wind.
A hurricane warning has been issued from Mesquite Bay, Texas, south to Port Mansfield, Texas. Tropical storm warnings now extend north to High Island, Texas and south to Barra el Mezquital, Mexico.
A storm surge warning has been issued from Baffin Bay to Sargent, Texas, which includes Corpus Christi Bay, Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, and Matagorda Bay.
The following map shows the latest hurricane and tropical storm warnings issued. A hurricane warning means winds of 74 mph or more are expected on Saturday afternoon. A tropical storm warning means winds of at least 40 mph are expected in the next 36 hours.
Current watches and warnings
Hanna is continuing west through the Gulf of Mexico to south Texas with a slightly slower pace than yesterday.
Radar images and hurricane hunter data show that this system has gained winds of 75 mph, making it a minimal Category 1 hurricane. Thunderstorms have been increasing in intensity. Further strengthening is likely before it hits shore on Saturday.
Current information and projected route
Hanna is the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, and is roughly two weeks ahead of the weather. The first hurricane of the season generally occurs around August 10.
On Thursday night, the Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance mission found that the winds increased enough to improve Tropical Depression Eight to Tropical Storm Hanna, the eighth earliest record storm, beating the record for Tropical Storm Harvey, set in 2005, according to Phil Klotzbach, a tropical scientist at Colorado State University. Hanna was also formed before the previous record for the seventh earliest storm, beating the record set by Gert on July 24, 2005.
(PLUS: Why the 2020 season pales compared to the 2005 season)
Predicted impacts
Strong threat of rain
This will be the main concern with Hanna for much of South Texas.
Conditions will gradually drop through Saturday in South Texas.
Increasingly heavy rains will arrive along parts of the Texas coast overnight from Friday to Saturday morning and will continue on Saturday as the center lands.
Current radar and satellite
(Clocks and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service.)
But as with most tropical cyclones, this will not be just a coastal event.
Heavy local rains will spread inland in southern Texas to parts of northeast Mexico. This heavy local rain could persist until Sunday, perhaps Monday, particularly in northeast Mexico.
Flash flood alerts have been issued for all of South Texas and the central Texas coast.
Rainfall totals of more than 5 inches are possible in these areas, with locally higher amounts where the rain bands stagnate for a period of a few hours. Some communities could receive up to 15 inches of rain. This could lead to dangerous flash floods and some river floods, particularly in the mountainous terrain of the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas.
Rain forecast
(Heavier totals are possible when rain bands or groups of thunderstorms stagnate for a few hours, which could lead to local flash floods.)
Winds, coastal floods and storm surges
Tropical storm force winds could develop as early as Saturday morning and most likely along or near the Texas coastal curve. These winds are capable of damaging some trees and sporadic power outages.
Harmful potential of wind
(The contours above show the potential for wind damage (at least 58 mph), according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center.)
Persistent onshore winds blowing east of Hanna can produce areas of high surf, rip currents, and possibly some minor coastal flooding at high tide, particularly along the northern Gulf Coast.
Coastal flooding closed the bridge along Cedar Lake Road in Biloxi, Mississippi on Thursday afternoon.
A storm surge is expected from the Mexican border north to High Island, Texas, which includes Corpus Christi Bay, Matagorda Bay, and Galveston Bay.
Water levels can go as high as this at high tide through Saturday afternoon:
Keep this in mind if you spend time on the beaches.
(PLUS: The danger of rip currents)
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