Cameron County will be closing off access to South Padre Island as soon as this evening in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey.
Cameron County will be closing off access to South Padre Island as soon as this evening in anticipation of Hurricane Harvey.
The National Weather Service in Brownsville says Harvey is expected to become a category 3 hurricane before landfall.
In a press conference at the Dancy Building this morning, County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. said that because of Harvey’s change in strength, the county would now be distributing sandbags.
“This morning, I signed a declaration of disaster forwarding it to our governor, advising him ahead of time the collateral damage we anticipate from being hit by the remnants of Tropical Storm Harvey,” Treviño said.
Effective immediately, sandbags will be distributed at the following locations in Cameron County:
Precinct 1 and 2, 3243 E. 14th St., Brownsville
Precinct 3, FM 510 and San Jose Road, San Benito
Precinct 4, 201 N. T. St., Harlingen
The county has also closed off all county beach accesses as well as Isla Blanca County Park and Andy Bowie County Park.
A voluntary evacuation has been issued for all RVs out at the Island, Treviño said.
“They should do so today. We are concerned once the winds get up to 45 miles per hour that we may have to close the (Queen Isabella) Causeway. That could happen later today,” Treviño said. “Anyone who does not have any necessary business on the Island will not be allowed on the Island.”
Harvey is rapidly strengthening and has a well-defined circulation. It will be moving to the east of the Lower Texas Coast, according to NWS Brownsville.
In Cameron and Willacy County, the beaches will flood by Friday morning.
Winds are expected to be 40 to 50 miles per hour in Brownsville and Raymondville and 60 to 70 miles per hour all along the Laguna Madre.
The highest winds will be from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. There is a small chance of hurricane strength winds in Port Isabel, the Island, Port Mansfield, and Bayview.
Rain totals for Cameron and Willacy County are about three to five inches. Hidalgo County will receive about 1.5 to two inches. During heavy rains, some roads may get hit with six to 12 inches of rain.
“In a matter of hours, Mother Nature has its own decisions to determine and will not listen to our wishes,” Treviño said. “So whether it gets closer to us or further away, we have to be vigilant and diligent in making sure we’re prepared for a storm that now we know is going to reach hurricane status before landfall.”
