Beryl hit Texas and then triggered a series of tornadoes. Here’s what’s next

The beryl has since lost its tropical characteristics and its remnants are now spreading northward across the mid-South and are poised to cross into the Midwest and the Ohio Valley, where they are expected to spawn more tornadoes and flooding.

On Wednesday, the remnants of the storm will move northward across the eastern Great Lakes into Ontario and Quebec, passing near the border with the northeastern United States. As they do so, they will produce additional heavy rains and could spawn tornadoes from eastern Ohio to southern New York.

The Atlantic hurricane season is just beginning, and it doesn’t peak until mid-September. Record-breaking sea surface temperatures will combine with a La Niña that dampens hostile high-altitude winds, favoring an increased number and intensity of storms. This season is almost certain to be more intense than usual, and many experts warn that it could be “hyperactive.”

In a revised hurricane forecast released Tuesday morning, Colorado State University raised its seasonal forecast for hurricane activity to 25 named storms, 12 hurricanes and six major hurricanes rated Category 3 or higher; its previous forecasts released in April and June called for 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes.

Beryl’s Current Status and What’s Next

As of Tuesday afternoon, Beryl’s remnants were concentrated near the Arkansas-Missouri border and moving northeast. Maximum sustained winds had decreased to 30 mph, down 50 mph since Beryl made landfall as a hurricane at 5 a.m. Eastern time Monday.

Heavy rains occurred east and northeast of the center, from eastern Missouri to southern Illinois and Indiana.

Forecast for Tuesday evening

• Precipitation: Heavy rain will continue from northern Arkansas to Indiana. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are possible, with localized totals of 6 inches. Flash flooding is possible in some areas.
• Tornadoes: The area from southern Illinois and western Kentucky to southern Indiana and southwestern Ohio is most at risk for severe storms that could produce tornadoes, according to The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center says “multiple tornadoes” are possible in the area, which includes Evansville, Indiana, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville.

Forecast for Wednesday and beyond

• Precipitation: The heaviest rains are expected to spread from northern Indiana to eastern Michigan through Wednesday. Overnight Wednesday into Thursday, the heaviest rains will move to Ontario, southern Quebec, western and northern New York, and interior New England. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are likely in this region, with localized amounts of up to 4 to 5 inches.
• Tornadoes: A few more tornadoes are possible Wednesday from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border into the mid-Hudson Valley. Scranton, Pennsylvania, Binghamton, New York, and Ithaca, New York, are among the cities in the risk zone.

Although it was only a Category 1 hurricane when it made landfall, Beryl had significant impacts, particularly in Texas.

2.3 million power outages

Nearly 2.3 million customers were without power in southeast Texas during the Beryl earthquake, the majority of them in the Houston area. A total of 34,000 customers were also without power in Louisiana and Arkansas.

The maximum officially measured wind gust on the coast was 97 mph near Freeport, Texas, on the coast south of Houston. In the nearby San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, winds reached 91 mph and in Matagorda, 86 mph. A few storm chasers reported unofficial coastal gusts in the range of 100 to 115 mph.

Beryl’s winds intensified in the last minute before moving inland and hitting Houston Hobby Airport with wind gusts of up to 85 mph (135 km/h). At Houston Intercontinental Airport, wind gusts reached 83 mph (133 km/h). Many traffic lights were destroyed and trees were toppled.

Several areas received at least a foot of rain just north and east of where Beryl made landfall. In the Houston area, amounts of 5 to 10 inches were common, but some areas eclipsed a foot. One location just 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west-southwest of downtown recorded 13.5 inches (34.5 cm), according to the weather service. Multiple flash flood warnings covered southeast Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Little Rock received 5.6 inches (14.3 cm).

In the south-central United States, 115 tornado warnings were issued, the highest number recorded in July since records began in 1986. Early estimates suggest at least 41 tornadoes touched down, but more could be confirmed. Some were large, rated EF2 or EF3 on a scale of 0 to 5, which is relatively rare for tropical cyclones. A number of cities, such as Jasper, Texas, were hit by tornado warnings four or five times Monday afternoon.

The weather bureau in Shreveport, Louisiana, issued 63 warnings alone Monday afternoon and evening, the most the bureau has issued in a single day.

Jason Samenow contributed to this report.