FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — Officials in Fort Bend County are bracing for Tropical Storm Beryl's impact as the area is expected to be among the hardest hit by the storm.
The tropical storm is expected to intensify into a Category 1 hurricane as it makes landfall overnight, with winds between 74 and 95 mph, according to KHOU 11's weather team. Fort Bend officials are takaing preparations to the next level.
"We are expecting to have a Category 1 hurricane, but we are preparing at a level of Category 2, so we are planning and preparing even better," Fort Bend County Judge KP George said at a press conference on Sunday. "The impacts we expect are tropical storm force winds, flash flooding throughout our county is possible, flood warnings, possible power outages, tornadoes, and especially road closures."
The Category 2 Hurricane designation is often observed only for storms with sustained winds between 96 and 110 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center's Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The multiple ways Beryl is expected to effect Fort Bend County, however, caused officials to err on the side of caution.
Meteorologists are predicting Beryl to bring upwards of 10 inches of rain to Fort Bend County. The moisture, coupled with the storm's high winds, caused officials to urge residents to shelter in place.
"As you know, in Texas, we always say 'Hide from the wind and run from the water'," said Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management Director Greg Babst at the press conference on Sunday.
Watch the full press conference below: