AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is expected to be acting governor when Hurricane Beryl is predicted to make its final landfall in the northern Mexico and South Texas area late Sunday night to early Monday morning, while Governor Greg Abbott leads an economic development mission in East Asia.
Acting Governor Dan Patrick and Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) Chief Nim Kidd held a media briefing Friday on preparations for Hurricane Beryl’s arrival in Texas.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall just north of Tulum, Mexico, Friday morning as a Category 2 storm before weakening into a Category 1. The hurricane is expected to weaken further after it travels inland across the Yucatan Peninsula. However, it is expected to slowly re-intensify once it moves over the Gulf of Mexico, possibly reaching hurricane strength before entering the North Mexico and South Texas area.
Meanwhile, Abbott will be visiting Taiwan, South Korea and Japan from July 5-13, meeting with businesses and government leaders to strengthen ‘economic and cultural partnerships,’ as detailed in a press release from the Office of the Texas Governor. These three eastern Asian countries are described as top partners with Texas by the Texas Economic Development Corporation due to mutual trade and foreign direct investment.
This will be the third time in 2024 that the Lt. Gov. has taken the position of acting governor because the elected governor has left the state of Texas, a guideline in Article 4, section 16(c) of the Texas Constitution.