Three different storm systems are threatening the United States and the Caribbean this weekend.They are Hurricane Hanna in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Douglas in the Pacific Ocean and Tropical Storm Gonzalo in the Atlantic. This is where things stand with all three.
Hanna becomes the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season as it moves towards Texas According to the National Hurricane Center, Hanna was upgraded from a tropical storm on Saturday, as it continued to barrel toward Texas, becoming the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hanna strengthened a Category 1 storm Saturday morning, and is expected to make landfall in southern Texas later in the day.Hanna, the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic, moved winds around 75 mph around 7 am CT (8 pm ET) and its center was about 100 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi.
It is forecast to make landfall along the Texas coast, likely somewhere between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, in the afternoon or early evening, the National Hurricane Center said.
Some additional strengthening is possible before Hanna strikes land.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Port Mansfield to Mesquite Bay. And a storm surge warning -- meaning life-threatening surges of water from the coastline is possible -- is in effect from Port Mansfield to Sargent.
Storm surges of up to 5 feet are possible in some areas, including Corpus Christi Bay.
Heavy rain - 6 to 12 inches - is expected in the South Texas and Mexican state of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas from Sunday night.About 3 to 5 inches of rain is expected on the upper Texas and Louisiana coast.
The 2020 Atlantic season is likely to be one of the most active in recorded history because of abnormally warm water and other climate conditions. Hanna is already the eighth named system of the young 2020 season in the Atlantic so far, putting it ahead of a record pace set in 2005 by 10 days.
A storm in the Atlantic is somewhat ahead of the norm at this time of year. The first hurricane of the Atlantic generally does not form for about two weeks in August.Hanna is on track to become the first hurricane to hit Texas in the month of July since Hurricane Dolly in 2008.
Hurricane Douglas is approaching Hawaii but is forecast to weaken before it reaches the island chain this weekend.Douglas peaked as a Category 4 storm early Friday and is now a Category 2 storm with winds of 110 mph. Steady weakening is expected to continue over the next 36 hours as it approaches Hawaii
Along with Hanna, storm hunters found both hurricane force winds and a pressure that was falling early on Saturday morning - a sign of an intense storm. Storm warnings and storm warnings are in effect for the South Texas coast.
The storm will weaken overnight, but rain will linger through Sunday.
Hanna is one of three significant systems churning Saturday morning.
Elsewhere in east Texas, north of the storm, bands of tropical downpours will bring localized flooding and isolated, fast-moving tornadoes.
