Emergency management officials in Jim Wells County and Alice are preparing for the potential impact of the first tropical system of the season in the area, urging residents to have a plan in place.
"Be prepared for anything. Storms could change. Weather is unpredictable," said Patrick Thomas, Alice Emergency Management Coordinator.
Thomas emphasized that while it's still unclear where the storm could make landfall, they aren't taking the situation lightly.
"With storms like this they're just - they're kind of unpredictable. Sometimes they may bring rain. Sometimes they bring wind with that. That's where we start to get some issues on the wind side. And, then of course, if there's too much at one time that can be an issue for us too," Thomas said.
Lance Brown, the Jim Wells County Emergency Management Coordinator, encourages residents to stay calm but prepared.
"Don't panic. There's no reason to panic. It's not even a tropical storm right now," Brown said.
Brown recommends that everyone sign up for programs like the State of Texas Assistance Registry and Hyper-Reach to receive up-to-date information from the National Weather Service.
The county has emergency response teams ready if weather conditions worsen.
"So, we have state assets that are here locally that can be deployed within Jim Wells County. And, then, also, around our entire region. If we have to deploy down to the Valley or if we have to go into the Nueces County area line all the way up to the Victoria crossings," Brown said.
These resources include assistance from the Army, San Antonio Fire Department, Weslaco, Laredo, City of Pharr, and Corpus Christi, all stationed at the county fairgrounds.
As residents prepare for potential rainfall, Thomas offered this advice:
"Don't take it for granted. Make sure you have a plan. Use this as a perfect time to test your plans and make sure that you are prepared in your own homes."
Emergency officials urge people to continue monitoring the storm as conditions could change rapidly.
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