Tropical Storm Bill makes landfall
*Update* Tropical Storm Bill made landfall on Matagorda Island just before noon. It reached Port O'Connor on the southeast Texas coast just after 9 a.m. The center of the system is expected to move inland over south central Texas throughout the rest of the day and night.
Residents have been asked to evacuate homes in low-lying areas coastal areas, schools in the Houston region are closed and people have been buying up bottled water and grocery staples ahead of Bill's arrival.
The National Weather Service says average rainfall for portions of Texas will be 3 to 6 inches but there could be as much as 12 inches in some areas near Austin.
According to projections by the National Weather Service, parts of North Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma could get up to 9 inches of rain over the next five days, and Missouri could get more than 7.
The Houston Independent School District has announced that district schools and offices will be closed Tuesday as a precautionary measure as Texas prepares for Tropical Storm Bill to make landfall.
School officials say they've determined the heavy rainfall predicted for parts of the Houston area may make driving dangerous Tuesday afternoon. Schools and offices are expected to re-open at their regularly scheduled time Wednesday.
Monday evening, the National Hurricane Center announced the Atlantic Basin's second named storm of the season.
FOX 7's team of meteorologists are tracking the storm and will have up-to-date information on weather conditions here and on air.
According to the office of the Governor's website...
Governor Greg Abbott has announced an elevated activation of the Texas State Operations Center (SOC) as a tropical system is expected to impact parts of Texas this week. Governor Abbott has also approved the use of state resources that have been staged for rapid deployment as needed to assist local officials during this significant weather event. Texans are also encouraged to prepare for severe weather in their area.
The National Hurricane Center is watching a low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico with a 80% chance of development. This system is forecast to make landfall along the middle Texas Coast Tuesday morning and bring wind, flash flooding, and river flooding to our area.
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