Eduard Formed at around 10PM or so, spinning up from a disturbance that drifted into the Gulf's warmer waters from the Florida Panhandle area.

Eduard is expected to increase in strength, and slowly make its way across the gulf, striking land in Texas on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Edouard continues to spin in the northern Gulf of Mexico. A hurricane watch has been issued from Intracoastal City, La., to Port O'Connor, Texas. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River westward to Cameron, La.

Edouard is moving slowly westward at 5 mph. The central pressure is 1002 mb and the storm is centered about 390 miles east of Galveston, Texas.

Edouard should make landfall either along the southwest Louisiana coast or the upper Texas Gulf coast by Tuesday. There is a possibility that Edouard could reach hurricane strength.

Heavy rain will likely be associated with the storm after it makes landfall.

One benefit from this system is that it could break the heat wave across much of Texas by the middle of the week.

In the northern Gulf of Mexico, Tropical Storm Edouard (60 mph) the fifth named storm of the Atlantic Hurricane Season continues to move slowly westward toward the Upper Texas Coast and southwest Louisiana.

The official forecast keeps Edouard as a strong tropical storm as it moves toward the Upper Texas Coast or southwestern Louisiana Coast making by early afternoon Tuesday. There is a small chance it could reach minimal hurricane intensity before making landfall.

Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect from Grand Isle, Louisiana, westward to Port O'Connor, Texas.

Hurricane Watches are posted from west of Intracoastal City, Lousiana, to Port O'Connor, Texas.

All residents and mariners need to be prepared for tropical force winds and near hurricane gusts at the coast, heavy rains, and possible tornadoes as Edouard spins toward southwestern Louisiana to Southeast Texas.

The track of Edouard is toward the west-northwest on the southern periphery of a strong upper-level high pressure ridge that is contributing to the record-breaking heat baking the south-central U.S.

The rainfall and clouds from the system will move into Texas Tuesday into Wednesday. Be prepared for gusty winds and locally heavy rain from the Upper Coast of Texas into central Texas. Use caution traveling when the rains do come into the region. There could be ponding and flash flooding with the heavy tropical downpours.

One benefit from Eduoard will be rain into the drought areas of central Texas and some easing of the terrible heat wave ongoing.

Tropical Storm Edouard (65 mph) is swirling inland over extreme southeast Texas now. The storm should begin weakening shortly.

As of 7 a.m. CDT, the center of Edouard was located about 15 miles southwest of Port Arthur, Texas, over the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, and was moving toward the WNW at 14 mph.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect between Grand Isle, Louisiana, and Sargent, Texas. A hurricane watch remains posted between Intracoastal City, Louisiana, and Sargent, Texas.

Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to continue in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana over the next several hours. Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches is likely along the track of Edouard, although isolated totals of 10 inches are not out of the question.

Winds early this morning gusted as high as 65 mph along the immediate coasts of southwest Louisiana and extreme southeast Texas. Winds will weaken as Edouard punches inland, but power outages are still likely today, especially in some of the stronger rainbands currently sweeping over the Houston area.

Tropical Depression Edouard continues to push inland across southeast Texas and is weakening.

As of 4 p.m. CDT, the center of Edouard was located about 35 miles north-northeast of Port Arthur, Texas, and moving toward the WNW at 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds were around 35 mph.

All tropical storm warnings have been discontinued.

Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to continue in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. Rainfall has decreased in coverage Tuesday evening, but more showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop during the day on Wednesday and circulate around Edouard's remnant surface low and upper level disturbance. Any of the storms that develop will have the capability to produce locally heavy downpours and potential flash flooding; however, areal coverage should be fairly limited.

Winds gusted as high as 68 mph at Sabine Pass North just after the center of the storm crossed the coast Tuesday morning.

Added 2008

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