(Austin, TX)  —  Texas agencies are gearing up for the state’s possible next visit from a potential tropical storm.  Governor Greg Abbott ordered increased readiness, moving the Texas State Operations Center from level 4 to level 3.

National Hurricane Center forecasters say a cluster of thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico, now has a 70 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression by Friday evening.  The system should move onto the South Texas Coast by late Friday and start to break up.  The main effects in Southeast Texas will be increased rain chances, heavy surf and high tides.  Since the ground along the coast is already saturated from this week’s heavy rains, more rainfall could lead to additional local flooding.

Agencies preparing for the possible storm include the DPS, TxDOT, the Red Cross, and the Salvation Army.