At least one person has been killed due to the effects of Hurricane Beryl. Officials say a man in Harris County died when strong winds toppled a tree onto his home where he was seeking shelter from the storm with his family.
HOUSTON — Powerful winds and intense rainfall are battering Houston, and officials are warning everyone to take cover as Beryl slowly moves inland across the city Monday morning.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reports two deaths from the storm in his jurisdiction – both due to falling trees on homes. This comes as the core of Beryl is sweeping near the metro area with 80-plus mph wind gusts.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall early Monday morning, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Views from downtown Houston show both the rain and wind whip through the buildings.
More than 2.7 million people were without power in Texas on Monday afternoon. Widespread power outages are likely to continue, and it could be days before power is restored, the FOX Forecast Center said.
“We’re going to have to start thinking about this power situation,” said Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood District. “We’re going to be looking at days to weeks for full restoration. This isn’t going to be hours.”
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Buffalo Bayou floods near Downtown Houston just after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Monday, July 8, 2024 in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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A vehicle is left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) ( )
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Debris blocks FM2031, the main access road, after Hurricane Beryl came ashore nearby Monday, July 8, 2024, in Matagorda. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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Vehicles are left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) ( )
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Firefighters check on a house in Rosenberg, Texas, on July 8, 2024. Hurricane Beryl made landfall Monday in the southern US state of Texas, where some residents were evacuated over warnings of flooding and power outages. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Debris blocks FM 2031, the main access road, after Hurricane Beryl came ashore nearby Monday, July 8, 2024, in Matagorda. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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A vehicle drives through heavy rain on a highway during Hurricane Beryl on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) ( )
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Brent Meads films himself as he stands in the heavy wind and rain from Hurricane Beryl on Monday, July 8, 2024, in Bay City. Meads said he came from Las Vegas to experience a hurricane for the first time. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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A group of people hide behind a car to shield themselves from wind and rain from Hurricane Beryl as they film videos for social media Monday, July 8, 2024, in Bay City. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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Hurricane Beryl wind damage in League City, Texas on July 8, 2024. (League City)
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Hurricane Beryl wind damage in League City, Texas on July 8, 2024. (League City)
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Hurricane Beryl wind damage in League City, Texas on July 8, 2024. (League City)
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Hurricane Beryl wind damage in League City, Texas on July 8, 2024. (League City)
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A destroyed trailer sits near beach homes after Hurricane Beryl came ashore nearby Monday, July 8, 2024, in Matagorda. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images) ( )
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Residents assess a fallen tree in their in their neighborhood after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Tropical Storm Beryl developed into a Category 1 hurricane as it hit the Texas coast late last night. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) ( )
Inside the command center of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management, teams are working tirelessly as the Category 1 hurricane wreaks havoc on Texas. Most, if not all, city services were suspended Monday.
“Hunker down – avoid all travel,” Houston emergency managers warned.
“The windows from the hurricane are so strong, stronger, really, than we expected,” Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday morning. Hidalgo continued to urge Harris County residents to stay home and away from windows as the hurricane passed.
HOUSTON BERYL TRACKER: LIVE FORECAST MAPS, TROPICAL WEATHER ALERTS, RAIN, WIND, PROJECTIONS AND MORE
Beryl continues moving inland, bringing flooding rains, life-threatening storm surge and the threat of tornadoes. The cyclone’s powerful hurricane-force winds could lead to power outages and property damage.
Beryl made landfall near Matagorda about 3:50 a.m. local time, bringing sustained winds of up to 80 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
HURRICANE BERYL MAKES LANDFALL IN TEXAS, CARRYING 90 MPH GUSTS AND LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE
Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda on the Texas Gulf Coast early Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.
The National Weather Service warned residents and employees in high-rise buildings in the metropolitan area to avoid going out on balconies and to stay clear of windows.
Both William P. Hobby Airport, which clocked a gust at 84 mph, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which hit 82 mph, were reporting cancelations and delays.
As much as 10 inches of rain has fallen across the Huston metro as rainbands from Beryl persist across the metro.
(Up to 10 inches of rain has fallen across the Houston metro. / FOX Weather)
Additionally, METRO public transportation services in Houston have been suspended as Beryl rages through. Multiple Flood Watches and Warnings are also in place across the city of Houston.
Buffalo Bayou floods near Downtown Houston just after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Monday, July 8, 2024 in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
A tornado threat will persist into Monday night, with the Storm Prediction Center raising the tornadic threat to a level 3 out of 5. Several brief tornadoes are expected in the outer bands of Beryl, the FOX Forecast Center said.