BULLETIN
Tropical Storm Beta Advisory Number 13
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL222020
400 PM CDT Sun Sep 20 2020
…BETA MOVING A LITTLE FASTER TOWARD THE CENTRAL TEXAS COAST…
…OUTER RAINBANDS SPREADING FARTHER INLAND OVER THE TEXAS COASTAL
PLAIN…
SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…27.7N 94.0W
ABOUT 120 MI…195 KM SSE OF GALVESTON TEXAS
ABOUT 155 MI…250 KM ESE OF PORT OCONNOR TEXAS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH…95 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 295 DEGREES AT 6 MPH…9 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…996 MB…29.42 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
None.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
* Port Aransas, Texas to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Louisiana,
including Copano Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay, Matagorda Bay,
Galveston Bay, Sabine Lake, and Lake Calcasieu
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Port Aransas Texas to Morgan City Louisiana
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* Baffin Bay to Port Aransas Texas
A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline,
during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a depiction
of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm
Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. This is
a life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas
should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from
rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions.
Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local
officials.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 36
hours.
For storm information specific to your area, including possible
inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your
local National Weather Service forecast office.
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
———————-
At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Beta was
located by an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft and NOAA
Doppler weather radars near latitude 27.7 North, longitude 94.0
West. Beta is moving toward the west-northwest near 6 mph (9 km/h),
and this general motion is forecast to continue for the next day or
so. A decrease in forward speed and a sharp turn to the north and
northeast is expected Monday night and Tuesday. On the forecast
track, the center of Beta will continue to move toward the central
coast of Texas and will likely move inland by Monday night, and
remain close to the coast of southeastern Texas on Tuesday.
Data from the reconnaissance aircraft indicate that maximum
sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher gusts. Little
change in strength is forecast during the next couple of days before
Beta reaches the Texas coast. Weakening is anticipated once Beta
moves inland.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles (315 km)
from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the
Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 996 mb (29.42 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
Key messages for Beta can be found in the Tropical Cyclone
Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT2 and WMO header WTNT42 KNHC.
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could
reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated
areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…
San Luis Pass, TX to Sabine Pass, TX including Galveston Bay…3-5
ft
Port Aransas, TX to San Luis Pass, TX including Copano Bay, Aransas
Bay, San Antonio Bay, and Matagorda Bay2-4 ft
Sabine Pass, TX to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA including Sabine
Lake and Calcasieu Lake2-4 ft
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA to Ocean Springs, MS including
Vermilion Bay, Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake
Maurepas…1-3 ft
Baffin Bay, TX to Port Aransas, TX including Corpus Christi Bay and
Baffin Bay… 1-3 ft
Mouth of the Rio Grande to Baffin Bay, TX…1-2 ft
The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances. For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are occurring in the tropical
storm warning area along the southwestern Louisiana coast and will
spread westward to the warning areas in Texas tonight through early
Monday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical
storm watch area along the south Texas coast on Monday.
RAINFALL: Through Thursday, Beta is expected to produce rainfall
accumulations of 6 to 12 inches with isolated totals of 15 inches
from the middle Texas coast to southern Louisiana. Rainfall totals
of 3 to 5 inches expected northward into the ArkLaTex region and
east into the Lower Mississippi Valley. Flash and urban flooding
is likely, as well as minor to isolated moderate river flooding.
TORNADOES: A tornado or two could occur Monday near the
middle-to-upper Texas coast or the southwestern Louisiana coast.
SURF: Swells are increasing and reaching the coast of Texas and
the Gulf Coast of Mexico, generated by a combination of Beta and a
cold front entering the northern Gulf of Mexico. These swells are
likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Please consult products from your local weather office.