Port Aransas and Mustang Island may be in for some coastal flooding as rains associated with Tropical Storm Hermine move over the area, according to National Weather Service warning coordination meteorologist John Metz.

A flash flood watch is in effect for tonight and Tuesday. 

In a statement issued shortly after 8 o’clock, Metz said the storm is still over water about 80 miles south of Brownsville. With winds at 65 mph, it is moving northwest at 14 mph and is expected to make landfall over northeast Mexico in the next couple of hours, Metz said. There is a slight chance Hermine could become a minimal hurricane (hurricane force winds are those 74 mph and greater), he said.

Isolated tornadoes can be expected overnight and Tuesday as the outer rain bands move inland from the coast, Metz said. A tornado watch is in effect for most of the Coastal Bend until 5 a.m.

Tonight, southeast winds of 30 to 40 mph can be expected in the Port Aransas area, with gusts near 50 mph possible.

Heavy rains will develop tonight and will persist through tomorrow evening before diminishing.  Metz said that up to 4 to 6 inches of rain could be expected, and there may be isolated cases of 12 inches of rain. The heavy rains may cause flooding in low-lying county roads, low water crossings, creeks and drainage ditches.

Tides are expected to peak near 3.5 feet MSL tomorrow morning during peak high tide, which is about 2 1/2 feet above normal.  The higher tides will flood area beaches, beach access roads and low-lying roadways in an around the bays.  “Rip currents will be very strong and swimming in the ocean is strongly discouraged,” Metz said.