Live Hurricane Beryl tracker: Houston damage, flooding, power outages
HOUSTON - Beryl left a trail of downed trees, flooded roads and power outages as it roared across the Houston area on Monday morning.
Beryl made landfall near Matagorda in the early morning hours as a Category 1 hurricane but weakened to a tropical storm a few hours later. On Monday evening, it was downgraded to a tropical depression.
Authorities urged residents on Monday to stay put and hunker down as severe weather and hazardous road conditions impacted the area.
Hurricane Beryl damage, impacts in Houston
Peak wind gusts of 84 mph were measured at Hobby Airport and 78 mph in Galveston. A 97 mph wind gust was measured at SH 36 and Brazos.
More than 13 inches of rain were measured in Sugar Land, 14 inches in Hilshire village and 11 inches in Brookside Village.
Major Houston highways have been left flooded, leaving cars stranded and prompting some rescues. Emergency crews were seen rescuing someone who was trapped on the roof of their submerged car on Highway 288 due to flooding.
SUGGESTED: LIST: Flooded Houston roads to avoid
Neighborhoods are scattered with downed trees and other debris. In Fort Bend County, several families were left displaced when a section of their apartment building collapsed.
Houston deaths from Hurricane Beryl
At least four people were killed as Beryl moved across the Houston area on Monday.
A civilian employee of the Houston Police Department died after getting caught in floodwaters while driving to work.
MORE: 4 deaths reported in Houston area after Hurricane Beryl
A 53-year-old man in the Humble area died when an oak tree fell on his house, where he was sheltering from the storm with his family.
MORE: Man killed as tree falls on home in Humble
Also in north Harris County, a 73-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell through her home in Ponderosa Forest as the storm moved through the area.
MORE: Woman dies as tree falls on N. Harris County home
In Southeast Houston, one person died in a fire that is believed to have been started by lightning.
Houston power outages from Hurricane Beryl
Over 2 million people were left without power across the Houston area after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Monday.
Click here to see the latest numbers.
Tornado Watch in the Houston area
A Tornado Watch has been issued until 10 p.m. Monday for some Southeast Texas counties including Chambers, Libery, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, and Walker.
SUGGESTED: Tornado warning vs. Tornado watch: What's the difference?
A tornado watch is when tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states. You should be prepared for an actual tornado during a tornado watch. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued, or you suspect a tornado is approaching.
Click here to see more active watches and warnings.
Beryl's long journey to Texas
Beryl formed as a tropical depression in the Atlantic more than 3,000 miles from Houston on June 28. It rapidly strengthened into a hurricane within the first 24 hours and intensified into a major hurricane within the next day.
SUGGESTED: Tropical Storm Beryl forms in Atlantic
It made landfall on Carriacou Island on July 1 as a Category 4 hurricane.
On July 2, it became the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record to form in the Atlantic.
As it roared across the Caribbean, Beryl left behind a trail of damage, as well as deaths.
It weakened as it approached the Yucatan Peninsula, where it made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Tulum, Mexico, on July 5. It further weakened as it moved across land, emerging into the Gulf as a tropical storm.
It slowly regained strength before becoming a hurricane once again shortly before landfall in Texas.