Tropical Storm Edouard strengthened to 50 mph as it approached the Texas-Louisiana coast Tuesday, prompting warnings for potentially life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding, heavy rain, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes as landfall neared.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Tropical Storm Edouard strengthened rapidly Tuesday as it closed in on the Texas-Louisiana coastline, with forecasters warning that the compact system could intensify further before making landfall and unleash flooding rain, storm surge and tropical-storm-force winds across the northwestern Gulf Coast.
The National Hurricane Center said Edouard was about 20 miles south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, in its latest update, carrying maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and moving northwest at 8 mph.
Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft found evidence that the storm was continuing to strengthen as it approached land.
Earlier Tuesday morning, Edouard had sustained winds of 40 mph, according to Scripps News, before gaining strength as it moved toward the coast.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a Hurricane Watch for part of the region as the National Hurricane Center warned Edouard was “significantly strengthening” and could become a strong tropical storm or minimal hurricane before moving ashore.
Because the storm’s center was developing only about 40 miles offshore during its approach, forecasters said it had a relatively narrow window for additional intensification before landfall. It is expected to weaken rapidly after moving inland.
A Hurricane Watch covers the coast from High Island, Texas, to Cameron, Louisiana, meaning sustained winds of at least 74 mph are possible.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect from Port Bolivar, Texas, to the Vermilion-Cameron Parish line in Louisiana.
Tropical-storm-force winds of 39 to 73 mph began reaching portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana Tuesday, while Edouard’s outer rain bands were already affecting areas including Lafayette, Louisiana.
The storm’s most dangerous impacts may come from water rather than wind.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from High Island to the Vermilion-Cameron Parish line, where the National Hurricane Center said 3 to 5 feet of water above normal high-tide levels could occur.
Farther east, from the Vermilion-Cameron Parish line to Morgan City, Louisiana, forecasters expect 1 to 3 feet of storm surge.
Heavy rainfall is forecast to continue through Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning.
Edouard could produce a widespread 3 to 6 inches of rain across the Upper Texas Coast and east-central Texas, with isolated locations receiving as much as 9 inches through Wednesday.
The National Weather Service warned that urban and low-lying areas are particularly susceptible to flash flooding. River flooding could also develop along the storm’s path.
Flooding concerns extend well inland from the immediate coastline.
“Depending on how quickly Edouard moves inland, there could be flooding well north of Houston on Wednesday,” the FOX Forecast Center said.
A Level 2 flood threat is expected Wednesday along the Interstate 45 corridor from northeast Houston northward to Corsicana, extending west toward College Station.
Forecasters also warned that one or two tornadoes could develop Tuesday afternoon as the storm moves ashore.
Despite those hazards, Edouard remains physically small. Tropical-storm-force winds extend only about 25 miles from the center, meaning the most severe wind and rainfall impacts could be concentrated within relatively narrow areas.
Galveston Independent School District canceled classes Tuesday ahead of the storm’s arrival.
Edouard developed at an unusually rapid pace after beginning as a cluster of thunderstorms over the northern Gulf late Friday.
Forecasters designated the disturbance Invest 97L Saturday afternoon, allowing meteorologists to more closely monitor the developing system.
By Monday afternoon, it had progressed from a Potential Tropical Cyclone to a named tropical storm in approximately nine hours.
The Potential Tropical Cyclone designation allows the National Hurricane Center to issue watches, warnings and routine advisories for a threatening system before it has formally developed into a tropical depression or tropical storm.
FOX Weather reported that Edouard was expected to “significantly strengthen” before reaching Texas and Louisiana, with tropical-storm-force winds capable of reaching the coast early Tuesday.
With landfall imminent, forecasters said the storm’s limited time over the Gulf would constrain how much stronger it could become, but continued intensification immediately before reaching shore could still increase wind and storm-surge impacts.
After landfall, Edouard is forecast to weaken quickly while continuing to carry heavy tropical moisture inland, extending the flash-flood threat across portions of Texas and Louisiana into Wednesday.
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