Edouard hits Texas coast with strong wind, rain

Tropical Storm Edouard hit the upper Texas coast early on Tuesday, bringing driving rains and winds near 65 mph U.S. forecasters said.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm made landfall over a stretch of coast east of Galveston and west of the Louisiana border, between the small coastal town of High Island and Sabine Pass. Though forecasters had feared it could become a hurricane, its sustained winds only reached 65 mph, short of hurricane strength at 74 mph.

The storm is expected to weaken later in the day as it moves west-northwest over Texas.

Edouard skirted the Louisiana coast, making for a blustery day in New Orleans but otherwise causing no problems in the hurricane-weary city. The storm raised tides along the coast, pushing water into bayous and some low-lying yards in the Terrebonne Parish communities of Dulac and Chauvin. Terrebonne emergency
preparedness director Jerry Richard said only minor damage was reported and no homes were flooded.

Tropical Storm Edouard Update-8/4/08

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) activated its Crisis Action Team early Saturday, August 2, 2008 to monitor Tropical Storm Edouard. Governor Bobby Jindal said today “After hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated Louisiana, we must take every storm threat seriously. We will continue to closely monitor this storm and take every precaution to ensure the safety of Louisiana citizen’s across the Gulf.”

As a precautionary measure, these parishes have been declared or are in the process of declaring a State of Emergency: Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, St. Martin, Vermillion, Jefferson Davis and St. Mary. Furthermore, Governor Jindal is declaring a State of Emergency for all of Louisiana.

There are about 1,800 FEMA trailers still located in the Southwestern Louisiana coastal area. Cameron Parish is ordering a voluntary evacuation in the lower portion of the parish. It is recommended for those who live in travel trailers and/or mobile homes because of the potential for high winds. Calcasieu Parish officials say they are prepared to assist in sheltering those who evacuate.

State officials say it is important for all residents along south Louisiana to have a plan and know what to do in case of a locally ordered evacuation. They recommend those in the currently affected storm areas stay tuned to local media for updates and contact local Emergency Operations offices for further information.

For additional updates on Edouard, visit www.ohsep.louisiana.gov.

Tropical Storm Edouard takes aim at Texas, Louisiana coast

Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, and forecasters expected it to bring high winds and several inches of rain to the coasts of western Louisiana and eastern Texas.

Edouard was expected to make landfall somewhere in Texas or southwest Louisiana Tuesday morning. It was moving west near 8 mph, and forecasters said the warm waters of the Gulf provided the right conditions for the storm to intensify and approach hurricane strength with winds of 75 mph or more.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River westward to San Luis Pass in Texas. A hurricane watch was in effect from west of Intracoastal City, La. to Port O’Connor, Texas.

Edouard was moving west near 6 mph and the center was expected to move parallel to the Louisiana coast Sunday night into today and approach the upper Texas coast Tuesday.

Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches was expected in coastal Louisiana, with 2 to 6 inches forecast in southeast Texas.

Tides of 2 to 4 feet above normal levels were expected in parts of the warning area.Coastal Louisiana, particularly Vermilion and Cameron parishes, could get some strong winds, heavy rains and high tides because the system is moving close to the Acadiana coastline