TS Bill Blows a 3-ft Storm Surge into Matagorda Bay/ Port Lavaca, Texas

Tropical Storm Bill was blowing a storm surge into Matagorda Bay, Texas, this morning. As the center of circulation was located south the of the bay, sustained southeast winds were blowing water into the bay. Water levels at Port Lavaca were rising rapidly and approaching 3 ft above predicted tide levels after 11:00 AM CDT.

TS Bill was blowing sustained SE winds into Matagorda Bay, Texas, this morning. Storm surge levels approached 3 ft at Port Lavaca after 11:00AM CDT.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that storm surge could inundate coastal areas with 2 to 4 feet above ground level in coastal Texas if storm surges occur near the time of high tide. Bill's large circulation was pushing water levels above normal all the way from Corpus Christi, Texas, to portions of Louisiana.

 A NOAA/ NOS/ TCOON tide gauge in Port Lavaca, Texas showed water levels (red line) rising rapidly this morning. The difference between actual water levels (red line) and predicted tide levels (blue line) is the storm surge. The surge was approaching 3 ft after 11AM CDT this morning.

Bill is producing the highest tropical surge along the Central Texas Coast near Matagorda Bay/ Port Lavaca, since Hurricane Alex produced a 4.94-ft storm surge at Port Lavaca, in June, 2010. Alex was a June hurricane that made landfall in Mexico but produced a storm surge along the Texas Coast.