Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast early Monday, its resurgence fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico overnight, posing imminent threats of storm surges and flash flooding.

The eye of the storm struck Matagorda Bay, positioned midway between Corpus Christi and Galveston, as confirmed by the National Hurricane Center's 5 a.m. ET update. With sustained winds reaching 80 mph, Beryl's impact was compounded by an anticipated storm surge that officials warned could jeopardize lives. A hurricane warning encompassed Matagorda Bay, from Mesquite Bay to Port Bolivar, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

"This is a life-threatening situation. Individuals within these areas should take all necessary actions to safeguard life and property from rising water and other hazardous conditions," emphasized the National Hurricane Center.

As Beryl moves northward through eastern Texas over the next 12 hours, meteorologists expect rapid weakening, projecting its downgrade to a tropical storm. Nonetheless, concerns persist over storm surges potentially surging up to 7 feet in typically dry coastal regions extending from Corpus Christi to the Louisiana border. The storm also threatens to inundate Texas' Gulf Coast with up to 10 inches of rainfall in certain areas, heightening flood risks according to the center's forecasts.

Preparations along coastal Texas intensified as the storm neared, with state troopers filling sandbags in southern Texas amid widespread boarding up of residences and businesses. The looming impact prompted disaster declarations for 121 counties in Texas by late Sunday, underscoring preparedness efforts amid apprehensions of substantial damage.

In anticipation of severe weather, the Houston Independent School District preemptively announced the closure of all campuses for Monday and Tuesday. Forecasters also cautioned about potential tornadoes along the coast, extending the risk into east Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas throughout Monday.

Surfline, the surf forecaster, reported perilous conditions in Galveston with waves peaking at 8 to 10 feet on Sunday night. The National Hurricane Center echoed concerns over "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" along the Gulf Coast in the forthcoming days.

Beryl's trajectory has been turbulent, originating in the Caribbean and intermittently intensifying to a Category 5 hurricane before traversing Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Strengthening over the warm Gulf waters, the storm redirected its path towards Texas, ultimately making landfall southeast of Corpus Christi.

By Sunday evening, Beryl had escalated from a tropical storm to a hurricane, with sustained winds nearing 80 mph according to data from National Weather Service Doppler radar and Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters. The storm's progression and escalating intensity posed immediate threats of flooding from rainfall, amplified winds, and potential tornadoes across affected regions.

Earlier impacts of Beryl in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Venezuela, and Jamaica resulted in at least nine reported deaths, underscoring the storm's lethal potential as it approached the Texas coastline.