Tropical Storm Alberto Approaches Mexico's Gulf Coast; Texas Governor Issues Disaster Warning

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a warning Wednesday regarding Tropical Storm Alberto that posed a threat of imminent disaster, as it approached Mexico's Gulf Coast.

The officials predicted that the Storm Alberto, moving toward Mexico's Gulf Coast, could bring up to 20 inches of rain to Mexico and cause flooding and heavy rain in Texas, NBC News reported.

Abbott pointed out that this storm can cause disaster, including widespread and severe property damage, injury, and loss of life due to flooding, life-threatening storm surge, damaging wind and heavy rainfall.

He further mentioned the areas that can be damaged, including Aransas, Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, DeWitt, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Fort Bend, Frio, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson and Jefferson.

Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Lavaca, Live Oak, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Orange, Real, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata and Zavala Counties are also under danger.

This massive storm, with strong winds extending 415 miles from its center, is expected to impact the northeastern coast of Mexico alongside the Texas coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande up to San Luis Pass.

Alberto has sustained winds of around 40 mph and is expected to get a bit stronger as it nears land. However, it will weaken quickly once it moves inland.

As of 7 p.m. local time, Alberto's center was about 150 miles east of Tampico, Mexico, and around 320 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. It was moving west-southwest at about 9 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

National Weather Service Houston took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote, "We've been watching the @SaltwaterRecon live cams to monitor the coastal flooding. Image below is Surfside Beach. There used to be a dune at this location that has been eroded. Lots of reports of coastal flooding this morning."

The Texas A&M Forest Service has sent out four teams with 100 people and 24 vehicles. Furthermore, the Texas National Guard has three platoons with over 40 people and 20 vehicles, including Chinook helicopters.

The weather service advised people in the storm-affected areas to have enough food, water and other essentials for five to seven days.