Cass County set to feel effects of Hurricane Beryl Monday Evening through Tuesday Morning

UPDATED 10:00 AM July 9, 2024

Hurricane Beryl made landfall causing intense weather and flooding to the coastal areas.  Cass County and the ArkLaTex region expected heavy rain and possibly tornados potentially causing damage and utility outages. According to reports on the Weather Channel, Cass County was supposed to see anywhere from 3-8” of rainfall Monday to Tuesday morning and under a flood watch. At 6:38 p.m. Monday when this article was written Cass County was under a tornado watch until 10:00 pm.  There have already been reports of tornadoes and damage. So far, we have confirmed reports of a tornado in Hughes Springs. The information in this article is fluid.  Please follow the link at the end of the article for updated information.

Local weather expert Brian Loper expected "4-6" of rain with this storm. Flash floods are possible. We also have a chance for quick short-lived tornados. Stay inside and be safe."

SWEPCO released that there were outages in its territory. "Due to multiple confirmed tornadoes across the ArkLaTex area, there have been impacts to our energy delivery system. Additional outages could occur until SWEPCO’s transmission system is stabilized. Customers should prepare to be without service for an extended period."

Cass County Judge Travis Ransom issued this release to the Journal-Sun on July 8, “We appreciate the foresight of Lt. Gov Patrick to include northeast Texas counties as this storm has the potential to further exacerbate problems we’re working to recover from earlier weather events this year.”

"We have ordered sandbags in preparation for the additional rain and have requested TxDOT expedite the release of road millings to allow county commissioners to shore up problem areas."

Tropical Storm Beryl was expected to threaten the area with additional tornadoes, heavy rain and flooding. In anticipation of the storms. It was announced in a press release on July 6, from Acting Governor Dan Patrick who is filling in for Greg Abbot while he is out of the country, leading a week-long trip to Asia, meeting with business and government leaders in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.

In the release from Patrick, he urged Texans to make final preparations and announced that he has added 81 counties to the state’s Hurricane Beryl Disaster Declaration as storm forecasts have shifted the expected landfall north and east of previous projections. This brings the total number of Texas counties included in the state’s disaster declaration to 121 counties. Upon updating the disaster declaration, Acting Governor Patrick issued the following statement:

 “As Hurricane Beryl approaches the Gulf Coast, today and tomorrow will be the last 2 days for Texans to make preparations for the coming storm. Beryl is a determined storm, and incoming winds and potential flooding will pose a serious threat to Texans who are in Beryl’s path at landfall and as it makes its way across the state for the following 24 hours.

 “Based on the current forecast, heavy rain and some localized flooding could occur all the way from the coast through areas near College Station, Tyler, and Texarkana as the storm moves through Texas on its current track. The track may change over the next 40 hours. Texans need to take heed, watch their local officials, and prepare today and tomorrow before the storm makes landfall early Monday morning.

For that reason, Cass County was included in Patrick’s Hurricane Beryl Disaster Declaration along with neighboring counties Bowie, Morris and Marrion counties along with others. “As Acting Governor, I’ve been in constant communication with Texas state agencies and local leaders to coordinate preparations and response, and I will continue to do so. Do not ignore this storm.”

 On July 7 Patrick sent a news release noting that according to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to intensify as it moves northwest through the Gulf of Mexico before it takes a northerly turn to make landfall along the mid-Texas coast as a hurricane on Monday. Interests in Texas should closely monitor this system and finalize preparations for hurricane impacts, including heavy rainfall, flooding, potential tornadoes, and damaging winds as the system moves inland across the state.

 The State of Texas currently has more than 2,000 responders and 850 assets rostered and deployed in support of the state’s response to anticipated impacts from Hurricane Beryl. The following state emergency response resources have been rostered and deployed to support response operations:

Acting Governor Dan Patrick issued this statement today following his press conference with Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd:

“As Hurricane Beryl approaches the Texas coast, now is the time for Texans to make their final preparations to protect themselves and their property. 121 counties are already under state disaster declaration, and more may be added if conditions warrant.

“Beryl is expected to intensify right up to landfall and could transform into a Category 2 Hurricane. Landfall is expected early Monday morning between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. between Corpus Christi and Galveston. Beryl is a resilient storm, and it poses a serious threat for Texans in its path at landfall and the following 24 hours as it moves through Texas. The storm’s predicted path is shifting east, and the areas east of the I-35 corridor are expected to bear the brunt of the inclement weather. Residents sheltering in place should take precautions right away for sustained wind, heavy rain, flooding, storm surges on the coast, and possible tornados.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to intensify as it moves northwest through the Gulf of Mexico, before it takes a northerly turn to make landfall along the mid-Texas coast as a hurricane on Monday. Interests in Texas should closely monitor this system and finalize preparations for hurricane impacts, including heavy rainfall, flooding, potential tornadoes, and damaging winds as the system moves inland across the state.

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) increased the readiness level of the State Emergency Operations Center as of 10 a.m. Friday and Texas Emergency Management Council agencies are working 24-hour operations, while also continuing to pre-position state emergency response resources that were readied for deployment by Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday.

The State of Texas currently has more than 2,500 responders and 1,200 assets rostered and deployed in support of the state’s response to anticipated impacts from Hurricane Beryl. The following state emergency response resources have been rostered and deployed to support response operations:

Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 & Texas Task Force 2): Search and Rescue Personnel, and Swiftwater Boat Squads.

Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service: Texas A&M Public Works Response Team.

Texas A&M Forest Service: Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) All-Hazards Incident Strike Teams and Saw Crews, including personnel, and fire engines.

Texas National Guard: National Guard Personnel, including High Profile Vehicles and Chinook & Black Hawk Helicopters.

Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, the Tactical Marine Unit, and Helicopters with hoist capabilities.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens and Park Police to provide law enforcement support, along with Swiftwater Boats, Airboats, Flat Bottom Boats, Four-wheel Drive Vehicles, and Helicopters.

 Texas Department of State Health Services (Emergency Medical Task Force): Medical Incident Support Teams and Severe Weather Packages, including Ambuses, Ambulances, and Command Vehicles.

Texas Department of Transportation: Highway maintenance personnel and personnel to monitor roadway conditions.

Texas Animal Health Commission: Personnel to provide livestock support.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents as well as AgriLife Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs.

Texas Department of Information Resources: Monitoring for potential cyber-threats and impacts to technology infrastructure.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air/water/wastewater monitoring

Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring the state’s natural gas supply, and communicating with the oil & gas industry.

Public Utility Commission of Texas: Personnel to coordinate with utility providers across the threat area.

Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster: Coordinating volunteer organizations across impacted areas.

FEMA Region 6: More than 100 personnel, 500,000 Meals Ready to Eat, 800,000 liters of Water, 20,000 Tarps, 2,500 Rolls of Plastic Sheathing, Generators, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, Tractor-Trailers, Communications and Command Vehicles.

Since we publish weekly we are still assessing the damage, The Journal-Sun will continue to update this page www.casscountynow.com/news/cass-county-set-feel-effects-hurricane-beryl-... as we know more. We will also have a follow-up article in this upcoming paper.