News

Actions

Hurricane warning issued for Texas coast

Posted

MIAMI (AP) - The Latest on Tropical Storm Harvey (all times local):

6:10 a.m.

A hurricane warning has been issued for a section of Texas' Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Harvey approaches.

The warning, issued Thursday morning, covers an area from Port Mansfield to Matagorda.

The storm's maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 kph) but the U.S. National Hurricane Center says Harvey is expected to strengthen to a hurricane by Friday, when it's expected to approach the southern Texas coast.

As of 5 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 370 miles (595 kilometers) southeast of Port Mansfield and was moving north near 10 mph (17 kph).

___

2:45 a.m.

Harvey has regained tropical storm strength as it drifts in the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas and forecasters say it could become a hurricane.

By early Thursday, the storm's maximum sustained winds had increased to near 45 mph (70 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center says additional strengthening is expected and Harvey could become a hurricane on Friday.

The tropical storm is centered about 410 miles (660 kilometers) southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas, and is moving northwest near 7 mph (11 kph).

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the State Operations Center to elevate its readiness level, making state resources available for possible rescue and recovery actions. Abbott also pre-emptively declared a state of disaster for 30 counties on or near the coast to speed deployment of state resources.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)