Texas Remains In Gulf Storms Path As System Intensifies

HOUSTON, TX — It’s still too early to tell exactly where the newest tropical disturbance, dubbed 94L, will make landfall when it impacts the gulf coast. Early models had the storm coming ashore at Galveston, but updated information has the storm heading in a more easterly direction and coming ashore in either far east Texas or western Louisiana.

The updated forecast has the storm becoming Hurricane Barry and coming ashore this weekend, and wherever it comes ashore it will likely bring a lot of wind and rain.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who called the storm "a meaningful rain event," held a press briefing Wednesday and advised Texans in the path of the storm to prepare now.

"We are working collaboratively with state and local agencies to anticipate any severe weather threats and ensure that our communities have the resources they need to prepare," Abbott said. "I ask that all Texans stay alert to the developments of severe weather and heed all warnings from local and state officials as this storm approaches."

According to the National Hurricane Center, this tropical system could produce hurricane-force winds across the central gulf coast and impact Louisiana, Mississippi and the upper Texas coast, and could dump heavy rainfall from the upper Texas coast to the Florida Panhandle.

Abbot said the storm is being tracked by the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and other state agencies are ready, including Texas Task Force 1 which has been activated, and other state agencies that are prepared to deploy for natural disasters.

The system has a 100 percent chance of development into a tropical depression or greater by the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

RELATED: 80 Percent Chance Tropical Depression Forms In Gulf

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