Beta weakens to tropical depression, stalls over Texas
HOUSTON -- Beta has weakened to a tropical depression as it parked itself over the Texas coast, raising concerns of extensive flooding in Houston and areas further inland.
Beta brings flooding, heavy downpours to Houston area
Beta made landfall late Monday as a tropical storm just north of Port O'Connor, Texas, and it's causing flooding in Houston and Galveston.
Drivers abandon vehicles in high water in Texas
Beta is the ninth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. this year. That tied a record set in 1916, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Many parts of Houston underwater as rainfall continues
Beta is the first Greek letter named storm to ever make landfall in the continental U.S.
Forecasters ran out of traditional storm names Friday, forcing the use of the Greek alphabet for only the second time since the 1950s. The biggest unknown from Beta was how much rainfall it could produce.
Beta is just another record setting storm in a record setting hurricane season. This year is shaping up to be the most active hurricane season of all time.
The good news is, the tropics are relatively quiet at present. Just days ago National Hurricane Center was monitoring as many as seven tropical systems. Now, there are just four: Beta, Paulette, Teddy and an unnamed tropical wave.
Paulette and Teddy are way out to sea and pose no threat to the USA.
The unnamed tropical wave is located between Florida and Cuba. It has just a 10 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next five days, but the National Hurricane Center said even if it doesn't become a tropical depression, it will dump a lot of rain wherever it goes.
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