Due to the effects from Tropical Storm Harold to affect southern Texas August 2023, you may want to consider delaying your travel — or, at least, keep yourself updated as to the latest information pertaining to the weather — if this region is in your travel plans over the next couple of days.
Tropical Storm Harold to Affect Southern Texas: August 2023 Travel Alert
Maximum sustained winds of Tropical Storm Harold — which is currently approximately 70 miles east southeast of Port Mansfield in Texas and moving west northwest at a speed of 18 miles per hour — are at 45 miles per hour; and landfall is expected to occur as a tropical storm somewhere near Port Mansfield on the southern coast of Texas within the next few hours sometime around noon today, Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
Up to as much as ten inches of rain can fall in local areas of southern Texas and in portions of northern Coahuila and northern Nuevo Leon in Mexico through tomorrow, Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect in Texas for:
- Mouth of Rio Grande to Port O’Connor
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect in Texas for:
- Port O’Connor to Sargent
Cities that will be affected by Tropical Storm Harold include McAllen, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, South Padre Island, Matamoros, Reynosa, Nueva Laredo, and San Antonio.
A storm surge of up to three feet, large swells of surf, localized flash flooding, strong rip currents, windy conditions, and the aforementioned significant precipitation are all possible. Electrical power outages are likely to occur; and an isolated tornado may be possible.
The landfall of Tropical Storm Harold will be the first in the United States for the year 2023. After landfall, Tropical Storm Harold is expected to weaken as it heads west towards southern New Mexico — but its remnants will still produce a significant amount of precipitation.
Flight Waivers, Delays, and Cancellations
If you are traveling to southern Texas over the next couple of days, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to this tropical weather system which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.
If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary. If you are driving in any of these areas, watch out for deteriorating weather conditions and traffic problems.
Here is one airline which has issued travel alerts as a result of this tropical weather system:
- Southwest Airlines has issued travel alerts for Corpus Christi and Harlingen for Tuesday, August 22, 2023; and Tuesday, September 5, 2023 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
Final Boarding Call
Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.
Source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce of the United States.
