As Tropical Storm Edouard barrels towards the Texas and Louisiana coasts, it’s forecast to strengthen before making potential landfall as early as this afternoon. FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross gives his exclusive analysis on what Edouard can bring to the coast.
THE TAKEAWAY
Tropical Storm Edouard strengthened in the Gulf after it was designated as Invest 97L, Potential Tropical Cyclone Five and Tropical Depression Five in less than 24 hours.Edouard is forecast to reach the Texas or Louisiana coast on Tuesday, with landfall potentially expected early Tuesday afternoon.Edouard is expected to strengthen, potentially approaching hurricane strength, before unleashing heavy rain, flash flooding and life-threatening storm surge along northwest Gulf Coast.
Tropical Storm Edouard is forecast to strengthen, potentially approaching hurricane strength, before making landfall early Tuesday afternoon along the Upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding and life-threatening storm surge to the region.
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Tracking Edouard
(FOX Weather)
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Edouard is about 40 miles south-southeast of Cameron, Louisiana, with sustained winds of 40 mph, moving west-northwest at 8 mph.
Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft are flying into Edouard to collect the latest atmospheric data inside the storm.
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Tropical Storm Edouard impacts and timing
Rain from Edouard’s outer bands lashed southwestern Louisiana early Tuesday, including Lafayette. The NHC said “significant strengthening” is forecast before Edouard makes landfall along the Upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts early in the afternoon.
Tracking Edouard
(FOX Weather)
Tropical-storm-force winds between 39 and 73 mph are expected to begin to arrive around 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning along the southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana coastline.
A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the northwestern Gulf Coast from Port Bolivar, Texas, to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish line in Louisiana.
A Hurricane Watch, which indicates that winds of 74 mph or stronger are possible, covers the area from High Island, Texas, to Cameron, Louisiana.
Watches and warnings
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A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for life-threatening storm surge — water above the usual high tide — from High Island to the Vermilion-Cameron parish line in Louisiana. Between 3 and 5 feet of surge is possible in this area, with 1 to 3 feet of surge possible from the Vermilion-Cameron parish line to Morgan City, Louisiana.
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Edouard is expected to bring heavy rain to the region through Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, likely leading to flash flooding, according to the NHC.
Rain and flooding threat for Southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana
Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to drop a widespread 3-6 inches of rain across the Upper Texas Coast and east-central Texas, with localized pockets of up to 9 inches of rainfall through Wednesday.
The NHC warned a tornado or two is possible Tuesday afternoon as the storm moves ashore.
Expected rainfall
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The Houston metro area is under a Level 2 out of 4 risk of flash flooding Tuesday, as well as parts of southwestern Louisiana, including Lake Charles.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that low-lying and urban areas are particularly vulnerable to flash floods. The NWS also said river flooding might be possible along Edouard’s track.
Edouard is a small storm in terms of overall size, with tropical-storm-force winds extending just up to 25 miles from its center, meaning the heaviest pockets of rain will likely be more localized.
TRACKING TROPICAL STORM EDOUARD: FORECAST CONE, RAIN, WIND AND RADAR MAPS
About 2-4 inches of rain is expected across southwestern Louisiana. Early Tuesday, FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said that the heaviest rain is forecast east of Interstate 45, but could shift depending on the storm’s track.
Tuesday flash flood threat
(FOX Weather)
The Galveston Independent School District canceled classes Tuesday ahead of the storm’s arrival.
“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 stretches along the I-45 corridor from northeast Houston to Corsicana, Texas, extending west to College Station on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to “significantly strengthen” before slamming the Upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts later this afternoon. Tropical-storm-force winds could arrive by 8 a.m. along the shore. FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin has the forecast from Kemah, Texas.
Tropical Storm Edouard developed quickly
Tropical Storm Edouard developed quickly from a cluster of thunderstorms in the northern Gulf Friday evening.
The cluster was tagged as Invest 97L on Saturday afternoon.
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Tropical Storm Edouard development timeline
(FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
From there, Edourad strengthened from a Potential Tropical Cyclone to a full-blown tropical storm within the span of 9 hours Monday afternoon.
A Potential Tropical Cyclone permits the NHC to issue routine advisories on a system that has not yet developed into a tropical depression or tropical storm.
Stay with FOX Weather for live coverage as we track Tropical Storm Edouard.