Hurricane watch issued for Texas, Mexico ahead of Hermine

 A hurricane watch was issued Monday for portions of the Texas and Mexico coasts ahead of Tropical Storm Hermine, which forecasters said could approach hurricane strength before making landfall late Monday or early Tuesday.

However, tracking maps show Hermine remaining a tropical storm as it makes landfall early Tuesday near the Texas and Mexico border.

A hurricane watch stretches from Rio San Fernando, Mexico, northward to Baffin Bay, Texas, the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for La Cruz, Mexico, northward to Port O'Connor, Texas.

As of 10 a.m. CT (11 a.m. ET), Hermine's maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph). Additional strengthening was expected, forecasters said.

The storm's center was located about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east-southeast of La Pesca, Mexico, and about 205 miles (325 kilometers) south-southeast of Brownsville, Texas. It was moving north-northwest at near 13 mph (20 kph).

"On the forecast track, the center of Hermine is expected to approach the coast of northeastern Mexico or extreme southern Texas in the warning area tonight," forecasters said. The region is expected to begin experiencing tropical storm conditions later Monday.

Hermine could dump 4 to 8 inches of rain over northeastern Mexico and south Texas and as much as 12 inches in isolated areas, forecasters said, with the potential for flooding and mudslides, especially in northeastern Mexico. In addition, a storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet along the immediate coast near and to the north of where the center makes landfall, forecasters said.

Mexico's Civil Protection Agency warned against marine activities and said oil platforms in the area should prepare for stormy weather.

"This system will represent high danger for the northeastern part of the country in the beginning of the week," the agency said.