More of Texas coast put on notice with Tropical Storm watch as Alex approaches

More Texas coast put on notice as Alex approaches

MIAMI — More of Texas’s coast is being advised to monitor Tropical Storm Alex.

On Monday afternoon, a tropical storm watch was issued for the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to Port O’Connor. A hurricane watch had been issued earlier in the day for the coasts of south Texas and northeastern Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Alex is expected to become a hurricane Tuesday. It’s center is on a track from Yucatan headed for the Texas-Mexico border and away from the oil spill area off Louisiana.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within 48 hours, while a tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions are possible in the same timeframe.

Forecasters say maximum sustained winds Monday afternoon were near 60 mph (95 kph).