The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a tropical storm warning Tuesday for parts of the upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts as Tropical Storm Edouard approaches the area.
Edouard is poised to “significantly strengthen before reaching the northwest Gulf Coast later today” and could approach hurricane strength, forecasters said Tuesday. A storm surge watch has also been issued for a portion of the northwestern Gulf Coast, where tropical storm conditions are expected, with hurricane conditions possible from High Island, Texas, to Cameron, Louisiana.
Meanwhile, several storms continue to brew in the Pacific during an El Niño that’s expected to become one of the strongest on record. According to the latest advisories, Hurricane Karina and Tropical Storm Lowell continue to churn in the Pacific, while Tropical Storm Marie formed early Tuesday off the coast of southwestern Mexico. Swells from Karina are expected to affect the southwestern coast of Mexico and the Baja California peninsula, spreading northward to Southern California by midweek, while swells from Lowell are forecast to reach the Hawaiian Islands later this week. Marie, meanwhile, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by midweek.
Where exactly is Tropical Storm Edouard, and what is its path?
According to the hurricane center’s latest advisory, as of 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday:
Tropical Storm Edouard was located about 65 miles south-southeast of Cameron, La.
It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
It was moving west-northwest at 8 mph.
“On the forecast track, the center of Edouard is forecast to reach the northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area later today and move inland over southeast Texas tonight,” the NHC said.
Watches and warnings in effect
A tropical storm warning is in effect for:
Port Bolivar, Texas, to the Vermilion/Iberia Parish Line in Louisiana
Tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 hours.
A storm surge warning is in effect for:
High Island, Texas, to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line in Louisiana
A storm surge warning means “there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 12 to 24 hours in the indicated locations.”
A hurricane watch is in effect for:
High Island, Texas, to Cameron in Louisiana
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 12 hours.
The biggest threats now
Tropical storm winds are expected in the warning area on Tuesday, making outside storm preparations difficult or dangerous.
The combination of storm surge and the tide is expected to flood typically dry areas near the coast as rising waters move inland, according to the NHC. High Island, Texas, to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line, Louisiana, could see 3 to 5 feet of storm surge. The Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line, Louisiana, to Morgan City, Louisiana, could see 1 to 3 feet.
Heavy rain from Tropical Storm Edouard is likely to cause flash flooding, especially in low-lying and urban areas. The storm could produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches, with a maximum of 9 inches in some areas, for parts of the upper Texas coast inland through east-central Texas, the NHC said. In far southwest Louisiana, 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible.
What’s happening in the Pacific?
Current disturbances and storm systems in the Pacific Ocean.
(NOAA)Hurricane Karina, a Category 4 storm, is moving west-northwest about 1,210 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but swells generated by Karina will affect portions of the southwest coast of Mexico and the Baja California peninsula, and are likely to spread northward to southern California through midweek.
Tropical Storm Marie formed early Tuesday about 470 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, according to the NHC. The system has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and is moving northwest at about 9 mph. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Marie is expected to become a hurricane by midweek, with additional strengthening possible through the end of the week.
Tropical Storm Lowell is located about 630 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, moving west with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Swells generated by the storm are forecast to affect portions of the Hawaiian Islands beginning later this week.
