PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Formerly Tropical Storm Edouard has reduced to a depression by Tuesday night. It unleashed significant rainfall and strong winds in various parts of Texas, causing power outages for thousands, uprooting trees, and flooding roads.
The storm downgraded shortly after its landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border with maximum sustained winds reaching 60 mph (95 kph), as reported by the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters predict that the system will further weaken as it moves inland, though heavy rains and potential flooding are expected to persist into Wednesday.
In the Pacific, tropical weather remains active, with three named storms progressing in open waters.
Edouard’s Impact on Texas and Louisiana
Edouard was projected to dispense 3 to 7 inches (8 to 17 centimeters) of rain, with some regions potentially receiving up to 12 inches (30 centimeters). As the storm center moved across Beaumont, Texas, located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Houston, city offices were closed, and the Texas Office of Emergency Management advised residents to avoid the roads.
Beaumont faced road obstructions from felled trees, malfunctioning traffic signals, and flooded underpasses, according to social media updates from Beaumont Police.
A G.I. Surplus store in Beaumont faced damage during the storm. Poweroutage.com reported that roughly 32,000 utility customers in Jefferson County, which encompasses Beaumont, were without power.
Mike Gilbert, owner of a surf shop at Crystal Beach, Texas, opted to close his shop before the storm’s arrival, prioritizing his employee’s safety. Despite Edouard’s significant impact elsewhere, his location only experienced gray skies and light rain.
“You literally never know,” Gilbert remarked. “It could have all of a sudden moved over 50 miles and picked up 20 mph in wind and it could have been a whole different story.”
In Cameron, Louisiana, Connor Salvador, an RV park owner, noted increasing winds and intermittent rain by Tuesday morning. While there were concerns about minor flooding, Salvador remained unconcerned, noting his community’s familiarity with such storm events.
Concurrent Pacific Ocean Storms
Hurricane Lowell emerged in the Pacific Ocean but is expected to remain distant from Hawaii for several days. However, the hurricane is anticipated to cause rising surf and dangerous conditions for Hawaiian beaches and marine activities starting Wednesday.
Forecaster Andrew Hagan of the National Hurricane Center stated, “This hurricane is likely to increase the surf and make for dangerous beach conditions and marine conditions for any boaters near the Hawaiian islands over the next few days.”
Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Marie developed in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, offshore of southwest Mexico. It is expected to evolve into a hurricane by Wednesday night, with swells projected to impact southwest Mexico and the Baja California peninsula shortly.
Additionally, Hurricane Karina transformed into a Category 4 storm on Monday, fueled by warm waters far from land. Forecasts on Tuesday suggest it is expected to lose strength soon.