Texas is on high alert as Hurricane Beryl approaches its coastline, threatening to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and potentially life-threatening storm surges. The hurricane, which has already wreaked havoc in the Caribbean and Mexico, is expected to regain strength as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico.

Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, stated, We're expecting the storm to make landfall somewhere on the Texas coast sometime Monday, if the current forecast is correct. Should that happen, it'll most likely be a Category 1 hurricane. As of the latest updates, Beryl was about 330 miles southeast of Corpus Christi with top sustained winds of 60 mph and moving northwest at 13 mph.

In anticipation of the storm, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is traveling in Taiwan, issued a pre-emptive disaster declaration for 121 counties. He emphasized the serious threat posed by incoming winds and potential flooding.

Coastal cities have already begun taking precautionary measures. Some have called for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas and banned beach camping. Tourists traveling for the July 4 holiday weekend have been urged to move recreational vehicles from coastal parks. I certainly don't want to ruin the holiday weekend for our visitors. But at the same time, our No. 1 goal is the health and safety of all our visitors and, of course, our residents, said Mitch Thames, a spokesman for Matagorda County.

The storm's impact has been felt far beyond Texas. Earlier this week, Beryl caused at least 11 deaths as it moved through the Caribbean islands, including Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela, and Jamaica. It later battered Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, toppling trees and causing power outages in Tulum before weakening to a tropical storm.

Texas officials are urging residents to prepare for the worst. In Corpus Christi, officials have asked visitors to cut their trips short and return home early if possible. Residents have been advised to board up windows and use sandbags to guard against potential flooding. We're taking the storm very seriously and we're asking the community to take the storm very seriously as well, said Corpus Christi Fire Chief Brandon Wade.

Local businesses are also preparing for the storm. Traffic has been nonstop at an Ace Hardware in Corpus Christi as customers purchase tarps, rope, duct tape, sandbags, and generators. They're just worried about the wind, the rain. They're wanting to prepare just in case, said Elizabeth Landry, an employee at the store.

As the storm approaches, the National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for areas from Baffin Bay south of Corpus Christi to San Luis Pass, less than 80 miles south of Houston. The storm is expected to bring a dangerous storm surge, flooding portions of the Texas coast, as well as hurricane-force winds to a small area and tropical storm conditions with heavy rains to much of the rest of the Texas coast.

Some communities are taking even more drastic measures. In Refugio County, officials have issued a mandatory evacuation order for its 6,700 residents. I would rather be cautious and let Tropical Storm Beryl come crawling in with a little bit of rain and a little bit of wind to an empty Refugio County than the alternative if it were to strengthen more than the predictions, which we know has happened with several storms in the past, said Refugio County Judge Jhiela Gigi Poynter.

Beryl's path has shifted significantly since Friday, putting the Houston metro area at risk of seeing strong winds and heavy downpours. The highest probability for landfall now lies somewhere around Corpus Christi to the north. Heavy rainfall is also a significant concern, with some areas in the state expected to receive between 6 and 15 inches of rain.

Authorities are urging residents to stay informed and prepared as the storm approaches. Rip currents pose a threat along all Texas beaches, and boating is expected to become hazardous. It is advisable to avoid entering the water until the storm system has passed.

The coming days will be critical for Texas as residents and officials alike brace themselves for Hurricane Beryl's impact. Preparations are underway, and the collective hope is that these measures will mitigate the potential damage from the storm's fury.