Cameron County officials spent the day Tuesday monitoring a threatening storm heading towards the Rio Grande Valley.
It's predicted the brunt of the storm will bring heavy rain and winds that could reach up to 70 miles per hour.
These winds speeds are cause for concern for some county residents.
"There's a lot of mobile homes in Cameron County, there's a lot of structures that might not be able to withstand 60 to 70 mile per hour winds,” Emergency Manager Humberto Barrera said. “Then we have the possibility of tornadoes."
The dry conditions, Barrera said, might help soak-up much of the rain, however, the county is mobilizing pumps and has sand bags ready.
Officials said this is a reminder to the public that they too should stay prepared in case of emergencies year round.
"It doesn’t take much (for extensive damage),” Barrera said. “(Last year) we had the storm in McAllen - one of the biggest storms in the Valley. It cost millions and millions of dollars worth in damage and the lesson learned there was expect the unexpected, always."
Once your family and home is protected, county officials remind residents to keep their pets and livestock safe.
"Don’t leave your pet stuck, tied around a tree for it to fend for itself,” Barrera said. “Give that poor animal a chance, bring it in, shelter it, just do not tie it around a tree in case waters do come up because that animal is going to drown."
Barrera adds the county does not own any shelters where people can go in case their homes do not withstand the storm.
He said people need to make the necessary arrangements ahead of time.
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