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Tropical depression marches through southern Texas

By Ninette Sosa, CNNRadio
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Tropical Depression 2 marched inland across southern Texas Thursday
  • The system never evolved into Tropical Storm Bonnie
  • The Texas coast and NE Mexico could get up to 10 inches of rain or isolated tornadoes
  • Texas Gov. Perry activated emergency response forces Wednesday
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(CNN) -- The latest tropical depression from the Gulf of Mexico marched inland across southern Texas Thursday, deluging the area with torrential rainfall in the hours after reaching shore, the National Hurricane Center said.

As of 1:00 p.m., the "poorly-defined" center of Tropical Depression 2 was located near the Rio Grande, about 35 miles southeast of McAllen, Texas, the Hurricane Center said.

The "poorly organized" system never packed sustained winds higher than 35 mph, falling short of the 39 mph needed to be upgraded to a tropical storm, which would have been called Bonnie. The center of the cyclone made landfall around 10:15 a.m. about on South Padre Island, Texas, about 25 miles northeast of Brownsville, Texas, the Hurricane Center said.

Forecasters said portions of far northeastern Mexico and coastal Texas should expect 4 to 8 inches of rain with isolated areas getting up to 10 inches. Isolated tornadoes also posed a potential threat to southern Texas, according to the Hurricane Center.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry activated emergency response forces Wednesday.

"As South Texas continues to feel the effects of Hurricane Alex, we are closely monitoring a storm system that is expected to bring more heavy rains to the area and increase flooding along the Rio Grande," Perry said. "I urge residents to exercise caution, pay attention to changing conditions and heed the warnings of local officials as this storm system threatens Texas communities."

Tropical Depression 2 is following almost the same path that Hurricane Alex did a week ago. Alex dumped 6 to 12 inches of rain across southern Texas and northeastern Mexico and some standing water remains in fields and residential areas.

CNN's Ninette Sosa contributed to this report