JAMAICA BEACH, Texas – It hasn’t even been a month since Tropical Storm Beta led to coastal flooding across southeast Texas. However, residents in Galveston and Jamaica Beach are preparing once again for what Hurricane Delta could bring.
The city of Galveston is anticipating tides between 4 to 5 feet above low tide beginning Thursday, which would likely cause some coastal flooding particularly in low-lying areas. People say the last two storms brought several feet of storm surge and now they are worried it could happen again.
The weather was perfect along Jamaica Beach on Wednesday. But neighbors say living in paradise can cost a pretty penny during hurricane season.
“It’s worth it, but we have to get prepared for these storm. So that’s what I’m doing today,” Bruce Koger said.
For the third time this year, Koger is getting ready for what Mother Nature could bring to the gulf coast.
“Well it’s not fun, but we want to secure the things that might get blown around and we mostly worry about storm surge,” he said.
Many Texans are already fatigued after Hurricane Laura and Tropical Storm Beta.
“We already ran through the alphabet. We are out of names for hurricanes at this point,” Baine Smith said.
Now, Hurricane Delta is preparing to make landfall in Louisiana. Houston remains outside of the forecast cone as of Wednesday night, but people along the coast are not taking any chances.
Smith lives in Jamaica Beach and is moving all his items upstairs.
“Just get it above ground and hope the water doesn’t hit it that’s basically all you can do,” he said.
The Galveston County Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the storm closely. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Galveston.
Officials says residents should be aware and prepared for high tides that cause tidal flooding in low-lying areas of the island, particularly the West End, Harborside Drive, areas north of Broadway and lower elevation areas of downtown.
“Storm watch, expecting to 30 to 40 mile an hour for winds elevated tides three and a half to four and a half to 30 to 40 mile an hour per winds elevated tides three and a half to four and a half feet. So, it could impact highway 87 a bit on Bolivar Peninsula, and some of the bay communities in Galveston Bolivar,” said Scott Tafuri with the Galveston County Emergency Operations Center.
The Galveston County Office of Emergency Management says they are not anticipating any voluntary evacuation as of Wednesday night, but that all could change depending on what Hurricane Delta does in the coming hours and days.
Officials says it’s always important to be prepared, have a kit and plan in place.
“You always have to be concerned, but we just pray we miss another one full force. But we also think about those that will take the full front,” Koger said.