Texans are preparing for the possibility that Tropical Storm Alex could impact parts of south Texas.
Governor Rick Perry issued a disaster proclamation on Monday for 19 counties. The declaration allows the state to get resources in place ahead of the storm.
As many as 2,500 members of the Texas National Guard have been told to be prepared for rapid deployment. In addition, eight UH-60 helicopters and three C-130 aircraft will be readied for use if Alex turns towards Texas.
In South Padre Island, city officials declared a local state of disaster and tourists had already begun canceling hotels for the busy July 4th weekend.
The Monday afternoon storm track had Alex moving into Mexico, however, if the storm moves further North, the Dallas-Fort Worth area could become one of several evacuation host sites.
The State Operations Center is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Alex and holding daily conference calls with federal, state and local officials, private industry partners, volunteer organizations, and the National Weather Service.
