PORT LAVACA, Texas – As Tropical Storm Bill makes landfall on the Texas coast, residents and officials in Calhoun County are preparing for heavy rains and high winds.
The storm came ashore shortly after 10 a.m. just south of Port O'Connor.
KSAT's Bill Barajas is in Port Lavaca, where 6 to 10 inches of rain is expected to fall. Wind gusts in the coastal town have reached as high was 60 mph.
Some residents are not concerned, including Donna Payne, who is riding out the storm at home.
"It's been windy this morning. Starting to get real windy and the rains like this, but it's about the worst it's gotten," Payne said.
"They're used to it. Locals, they are just used to it, they deal with it every year. So it's something they contend with," Calhoun County Sgt. Steven Perez said.
Perez was tasked with driving along the county's coastline Tuesday. KSAT 12 joined Perez for a portion of his drive and Barajas reported that conditions worsened the farther they drove.
Perez said many roads in the county will be shut down as high water covers the roadways.
"We do have a plan in place. We are just taking it as is right now, watching the roadways, closing off the roads because water is getting over. Caution people to just watch what they're doing," he said.