Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference on March 15, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is directing 39 agencies of the Texas Emergency Management Council to begin preparations to assist with hurricane response and recovery efforts, he announced in a news release Wednesday.

In addition to these preparations, Abbott is asking teams to develop round-the-clock staffing plans for the State Emergency Operations Center in the event that Hurricane Beryl hits the Texas Gulf Coast, the press release added.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Hurricane Beryl was upgraded to a Category 4, down from the Category 5 it reached on Monday. The National Hurricane Center forecasts the storm will weaken as it continues its west-northwest path through the Caribbean before eventually reaching the Gulf of Mexico this weekend, the release said.

“Texas is prepared to provide all available resources and support to our coastal communities as Hurricane Beryl approaches the state,” Abbott said in the release. “Today, I directed TDEM to issue an alert to our emergency management agencies to ensure Texas is prepared and equipped for hurricane response and recovery efforts. As Texans along the southern coastal areas make vacation plans and visitors begin traveling for the holiday weekend, I urge them to take necessary safety precautions, keep an eye on the weather, and have an emergency plan in place for themselves and their families. State and local agencies will continue to work around the clock to monitor weather conditions across the state and help protect Texans.”

Participating agencies include:

• Texas Department of Emergency Management
• Texas A&M University System
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service – Texas A&M Task Force 1
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas Department of Military Affairs – Texas National Guard
• Texas Department of Public Safety
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
• Texas Department of Transportation
• Texas Public Utilities Commission
• Texas Railroad CommissionTexas Commission on Environmental Quality
• Texas Animal Health Commission
• State Auditor
• Texas Fire Protection Commission
• Texas Department of Agriculture
• Texas Department of Criminal Justice
• Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
• Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
• Texas Department of Information Resources
• Texas Department of Insurance
• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
• Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
• Texas Department of Health
• Texas Education Agency
• Texas Facilities Commission
• Texas General Land Office
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• Office of the Attorney General of Texas
• Office of the Texas State Auditor
• Texas Workers Commission
• Texas State University System
• Texas Tech University System
• University of Houston System
• University of North Texas System
• University of Texas System
• Volunteer organizations in Texas active in disaster situations
• The Salvation Army
• The American Red Cross

Additional information about the storm is available on the Texas Division of Emergency Management's disaster portal and the Texas Hurricane Center website. Storm preparedness details are available online.