TEXAS — What remained of Tropical Storm Bertha, which was later downgraded to a tropical depression, passed through South Texas, including the Galveston beaches and Kemah Boardwalk area along the bay. Before the remnants hit the seawall, beachgoers shared how they planned to navigate the heat and potential storm.
On Thursday, the heat index reached well above 100 degrees on what was considered one of the hottest days so far this year. Families from around the Houston metro and as far as Chicago, like Derrick and Catina Mead, soaked it all in while bracing for the potential impact of Bertha.
“As long as you have shade, it’s pretty cool. It’s decent,” said Derrick.
Several people told Spectrum News 1 Texas they were prepared to hunker down if needed, but no one was overly concerned.
“It’s pretty calm right now. I don’t know if it’s the calm before the storm or what, but so far, so good,” said Jonathon Masters, who traveled there from Abilene with his daughter, Jaylie.
Umbrellas and chairs lined the beach along the long stretch of seawall.
“At least we have the sea breeze, because we’re from North Texas where if it’s hot, it’s just hot,” said Rebekah Herrera, an Anna resident, whose son showed off his collection of seashells.
Ashley Sims and her group of friends, family and kids from Pearland enjoyed playing a little beach football. While she said they were prepared for any bad weather, they welcomed the chance for strong winds that would come with a tropical storm.
“Our plans are, tomorrow, Surfside’s supposed to be 6 to 8 feet, so we might go surfing,” said Sims.
While the beachgoers soaked in the sun, countless others were soaking in the cool air conditioning in their homes until the threat of a storm passed hours later.