Humberto strengthens to a hurricane as it hits Texas
Humberto strengthened to a hurricane early Thursday morning before making landfall in the state of Texas, just east of Galveston.
Humberto began forming in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday and as winds earlier today strengthened to 80mph (128km/h) it was upgraded to a hurricane just before making landfall. A hurricane warning was issued from east of High Island, Texas to Cameron, Louisiana. However since making landfall, Humberto has now begun to weaken.
Over the next two days as Humberto moves slowly inland across east Texas and then central and western parts of Louisiana, it is expected to bring heavy rainfall and the potential for further flooding. Almost 400mm (15 inches) of rain is forecast.
Texas has already seen its fair share of flooding this year. This fresh rainfall follows on from what has already been the wettest summer for the state in more than 50 years. Over the summer, relentless storms saw Texas’ five major river basins at flood stage, the first time that had happened since 1957.
Another storm, tropical depression eight, is currently being monitored just east of the Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean. This may be named Tropical Storm Ingrid if it continues to strengthen today.
