Tropical Storm Hanna is about to become the fourth tropical cyclone to hit the mainland United States this season.

SONAR Critical Events: Friday, July 24, 2020, 5 a.m. EDT; Tropical Storm Hanna forecast paths

The others were Tropical Storm Bertha in late May, just before the official start of the season on June 1, as well as Tropical Storm Cristobal in early June and Tropical Storm Fay the second week of July.

The system was still a tropical depression Thursday, strengthening to a tropical storm in the wee hours of Friday. As of 5 a.m. EDT Friday, maximum sustained winds were 40 mph, based on measurements taken by the U.S. Air Force hurricane hunters. Hanna was centered 285 miles east of Corpus Christi, Texas, heading toward the west-northwest at 9 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 45 miles from the storm's center. Early Friday morning, a buoy located east of the center reported a sustained wind of 38 mph and a gust to 52 mph.

Hanna will likely hit the eastern Texas coast sometime Saturday, July 25, with winds, waves and rainfall increasing by early in that day. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a tropical storm warning in Texas from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass, Texas, and a tropical storm watch from San Luis Pass to High Island.

Hanna will not cause long-term, major flooding, but persistent heavy rainfall could lead to localized flash flooding and roadblocks along the coast and in some inland areas. Rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches are possible in southern Texa, while parts of the upper Texas coast into southwestern Louisiana could see up to 6 inches. Minor wind damage is also possible.

In an email sent to FreightWaves and other media subscribers Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard urged everyone in the potential impact zone to "be prepared, stay informed and heed storm warnings."

Hanna will disrupt freight flows for a while on the roads, runways and at ports, but delays should be minor to moderate. Interruptions to local and regional business and supply chain operations should also be short-term.

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