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| Hanna Strengthens Into Hurricane, the First of the Atlantic Season | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A hurricane bearing down on southern Texas on Saturday morning is expected to bring harsh winds and rain to Corpus Christi and the surrounding area, where officials are already struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic. | |
| Powerful winds from Hurricane Hanna, which strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday morning, are expected to thrash Texas’s coast. The National Weather Service warned of possible power outages, damage to porches and sheds, and winds that could snap large tree limbs. | |
| “We’re also really concerned about hurricane-force gusts, which would mean winds of greater than 74 miles per hour,” said Melissa Huffman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi. | “We’re also really concerned about hurricane-force gusts, which would mean winds of greater than 74 miles per hour,” said Melissa Huffman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi. |
| The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning on Friday night for the coastal region near Corpus Christi and extending about 30 miles in either direction. A storm surge warning reached even farther north, to about 75 miles south of Houston. | The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning on Friday night for the coastal region near Corpus Christi and extending about 30 miles in either direction. A storm surge warning reached even farther north, to about 75 miles south of Houston. |
| Forecasters with the hurricane center said the storm would bring five to 10 inches of rain, with some isolated areas getting up to 15 inches over the weekend, which could lead to “life-threatening flash flooding.” | Forecasters with the hurricane center said the storm would bring five to 10 inches of rain, with some isolated areas getting up to 15 inches over the weekend, which could lead to “life-threatening flash flooding.” |
| The center of the storm, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, is expected to make landfall somewhere between just north of Corpus Christi and the northern edge of Cameron County, which is wedged between Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. | |
| The new threat comes as coronavirus cases have been rising in several counties in the storm’s path. In Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi and is home to about 362,000 people, the number of virus cases and deaths reported each day has trended upward in recent weeks, fueled in part by visitors who flocked to the beach city because of its low case count. | The new threat comes as coronavirus cases have been rising in several counties in the storm’s path. In Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi and is home to about 362,000 people, the number of virus cases and deaths reported each day has trended upward in recent weeks, fueled in part by visitors who flocked to the beach city because of its low case count. |
| About 10,000 people in the county have been infected with the virus; more than a fifth of those cases were reported in the past week. At least 124 people have died in Nueces County, and 421 people were being treated for the coronavirus in hospitals on Thursday, the highest total since the pandemic began. | About 10,000 people in the county have been infected with the virus; more than a fifth of those cases were reported in the past week. At least 124 people have died in Nueces County, and 421 people were being treated for the coronavirus in hospitals on Thursday, the highest total since the pandemic began. |
| “What a combination of events that we’ve had in South Texas,” Robert Rocha, the fire chief in Corpus Christi, said on Friday evening. “Corpus Christi in the last month has really been devastated by the effects of Covid-19. On top of that, we have the potential of a hurricane coming our way.” | “What a combination of events that we’ve had in South Texas,” Robert Rocha, the fire chief in Corpus Christi, said on Friday evening. “Corpus Christi in the last month has really been devastated by the effects of Covid-19. On top of that, we have the potential of a hurricane coming our way.” |
| Chief Rocha said his crews were boarding up some coastal fire stations and preparing for the possibility of having to evacuate some of the more exposed stations, moving firefighters inland. | Chief Rocha said his crews were boarding up some coastal fire stations and preparing for the possibility of having to evacuate some of the more exposed stations, moving firefighters inland. |
| Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean, a Category 3 hurricane continued to churn toward Hawaii, although forecasters said the hurricane, named Douglas, was likely to weaken significantly as it got closer to the islands. | Meanwhile, in the Pacific Ocean, a Category 3 hurricane continued to churn toward Hawaii, although forecasters said the hurricane, named Douglas, was likely to weaken significantly as it got closer to the islands. |
| Hurricane Douglas is expected to be at or near hurricane strength when it nears the eastern end of the Hawaiian islands by Saturday night or Sunday, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center said on Friday. | Hurricane Douglas is expected to be at or near hurricane strength when it nears the eastern end of the Hawaiian islands by Saturday night or Sunday, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center said on Friday. |
| A tropical storm, named Gonzalo, is moving toward the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. It is unlikely to reach hurricane strength, forecasters said. | |
| Derrick Bryson Taylor contributed reporting. | Derrick Bryson Taylor contributed reporting. |