Hurricane warnings have been issued for the coasts of south Texas and northeastern Mexico as Tropical Storm Alex gains strength.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Alex is expected to become a hurricane Tuesday. Its center is on a track toward the Texas-Mexico border and away from the oil spill area off Louisiana.
A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to Port O’Connor.
Forecasters say maximum sustained winds Monday night were near 65 mph (100 kph).