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The expected slow motion of Tropical Storm Beta will produce a long duration rainfall event from the middle Texas coast to southeast Louisiana.

Flash urban and minor river flooding is likely.

Rainfall will also spread northward into the Ark-La-Tex region and east into the lower Mississippi Valley and portions of the Southeast through the end of the week.

There is the danger of life-threatening storm surge near times of high tide through Tuesday along portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts within the storm surge warning areas.

Residents in these areas should follow advice given by local officials.

Tropical storm force winds will spread westward across the Texas coast later Monday and continue into Tuesday.

On Sunday, Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie called for a voluntary evacuation of the Sabine Pass and Pleasure Island areas as Tropical Storm Beta approaches.

“As the mayor of the city of Port Arthur, I respectfully request the voluntary evacuation of Sabine Pass and Pleasure Island,” Bartie said during a news conference at the Port Arthur Police Department headquarters.

“Those two areas in the city of Port Arthur happen to be our lowest lying areas in the city. What we would like is for those citizens to move to higher ground. They have the time now, and if a surge comes, and it will … then they would be probably out of harm’s way being in those areas.”