Not Much Damage From Hurricane Alex in Texas

Shelters are already emptied and the flooded streets have receded today after Hurricane Alex barely hit Texas.

Alex weakened to a tropical storm early this morning while churning across northern Mexico. It made landfall late Wednesday, but spared Texas with little more than thunderstorms and little flooding.

No injuries or major damage were reported, and pumps sucked out high water in only a few remaining areas by this morning. Authorities said low-lying areas stood up well to Alex.

The storm dumped 9 to 11 inches of rain in the Brownsville area, but the intermittent punches of Alex's spinning outer bands gave the flood-prone Rio Grande Valley time to recede between lashes of soaking downpours and gusts that reached 66 mph.

Alex was the first storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first storm to reach Category 2 strength in June since Hurricane Alma in 1966.

"While we breathe a sigh of relief for this storm ... it's early in the season," Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday, urging Texans to think of Alex as a warning. "Before they go back to business as usual, Texans need to take inventory and make sure they're prepared to handle the next storm — whether that's setting aside the necessary supplies like food and water, preparing their property to withstand a storm or thinking about an evacuation plan, now is the time to get ready not when the winds are starting to kick up."

"Texans should continue to stay alert, keeping an eye on any changing weather conditions and keep an ear tuned to local officials until this storm subsides."

The causeway to South Padre Island reopened early today after strong gusts shut down the bridge to the mainland Wednesday. Although the worst of the weather had passed, a tornado watch remains in effect today for most of South Texas.

More than 1,000 people who packed shelters in Hidalgo and Cameron nearly all left back for home at daybreak. American Electric Power reported that fewer than 2 percent of customers were without power, a mere blip compared to the 211,000 homes blacked out when Hurricane Dolly thundered ashore two years ago.

Among the few places where it even looked like a storm came through was Olmito. Shin-high water blocked off some streets in one of the lowest-lying parts of the Cameron County.