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Tropics forecast: Tropical Storm Edouard form in Gulf
Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf on Monday evening and is expected to strengthen before reaching the Texas coast Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, flooding and dangerous coastal conditions.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf on Monday evening and is expected to strengthen before reaching the Texas coast Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, flooding and dangerous coastal conditions.
The National Hurricane Center said Edouard strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm Monday night, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
Where is Tropical Storm Edouard?
What we know:
As of 8 p.m. EDT, the storm was about 140 miles southeast of Cameron, Louisiana, and about 175 miles southeast of Port Arthur, Texas. It was moving west-northwest at 6 mph.
FOX 35 Storm Team meteorologist T.J. Springer said the storm could reach the coast within the next day.
"It looks like over the next 12 to 24 hours, we’re probably going to have a landfall," Springer said. "Hopefully everyone’s kind of taking those precautions and preps necessary to be ready."
Springer said Edouard is expected to strengthen further Tuesday before reaching the coast.
Tropical storm warnings issued
A tropical storm warning is in effect from Port Bolivar, Texas, to the Vermilion-Iberia parish line in Louisiana.
Springer said Edouard could make landfall near the Texas-Louisiana state line, with gusts potentially reaching 70 mph.
The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast Tuesday morning and warned that preparations could become difficult or dangerous as conditions deteriorate.
A storm surge watch is also in effect from High Island, Texas, to the Vermilion-Cameron parish line in Louisiana.
Water could rise 2 to 4 feet above normally dry ground along portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Areas farther east could see 1 to 3 feet of flooding near the coast.
Heavy rain and flooding are biggest concerns
Heavy rain and flooding are expected to be among Edouard’s greatest threats.
"The wind, at least right now, not the bigger concern," Springer said. "I’m thinking it’s probably more the heavy rain and that storm surge near the coast."
Edouard could produce 3 to 6 inches of rain along the upper Texas coast and into east-central Texas, with isolated totals of up to 9 inches. Far southwestern Louisiana could receive 2 to 3 inches.
The National Hurricane Center warned that the rain could cause flash flooding, particularly in urban and low-lying areas. Some rivers could also flood.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said flooding is expected to be the state’s biggest concern.
"This is our first big storm of the season, and I’ll tell you, Texas is prepared," Orlando Alanis of the Texas Division of Emergency Management said during a news conference.
The storm could also affect air travel Tuesday.
"If you have travel plans, definitely something to keep a close eye on," Springer said. "There could be flight delays coming out of places like Houston tomorrow."
Dolly less likely to redevelop, NHC says, but more rain on the way
What we know:
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the remnants of Hurricane Dolly were bringing rain and thunderstorms to parts of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.
Those remnants were not expected to redevelop. The NHC dropped the development chances to 0% on Monday.
For Florida, the increase in tropical moisture is expected to increase rain chances.
How much rain could hit Florida?
According to forecast models, more than 2" of rain could fall over the next week in parts of Orlando and Tampa.
When does hurricane season end?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs every year for six months, June 1–November 30.
The most active months are typically between August, September, and October. The Atlantic season actually has two peaks: mid-September and mid-October, though activity tends to drop quickly after the second peak.
2026 Atlantic hurricane season storm names
There are 21 storm names issued for every hurricane season – and those names rotate every six years, unless retired.
So far, there have been four named tropical storms during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, and Dolly, all of which have been short-lived storms.
Forecasters are tracking Potential Tropical Cyclone Five (PTC-5) to see if it becomes a tropical storm, which would then be known as Tropical Storm Edouard, the fifth named storm of the season.
Who picks the hurricane storm names?
The hurricane storm names are decided by an international body of forecasters and the World Meteorological Organization. They are used to help meteorologists, forecasters, journalists, and the public communicate warnings and updates about a specific storm.
"Assigning names to tropical cyclones makes tracking and discussing specific storms more straightforward, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously. Naming also helps to avoid confusion among meteorologists, media, emergency management agencies and the public," the WMO said on its website.
There are four factors considered when coming up with the names:
- Short in character length for ease of use in communication
- Easy to pronounce
- Appropriate significance in different languages
- Uniqueness – same names cannot be used in other regions.
The Source: The information in this article is from the FOX 35 Storm Team and the National Hurricane Center.