PORT ARTHUR, Texas — Tropical Melancholy Edouard is swamping Southeast Texas with heavy rain and flash flooding and has left greater than 70,000 clients with out energy because it slowly makes its approach inland.
A Flash Flood Emergency for life-threatening flooding was issued for components of Hardin and Tyler counties shortly after 5:45 a.m. native time.
Edouard made landfall as a tropical storm close to Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, about 15 miles south-southeast of Port Arthur, Texas, at 2:20 p.m. native time, packing most sustained winds of 60 mph and a minimal central strain of 996 mb, based on the Nationwide Hurricane Heart (NHC).
Edouard was downgraded to a tropical despair at 10 p.m. Tuesday.
The Nationwide Climate Service stated 10 to 21 inches of rain have fallen throughout the world coated by the Flash Flood Emergency as of early Wednesday and urged folks within the Kountze, Village Mills and Honey Island communities to hunt larger floor instantly.
The Woodville Impartial College District and a number of other others close by canceled college Wednesday morning.
Kountze metropolis officers stated on social media that energy strains have been down and flooding was ongoing early Wednesday, and requested folks to keep away from journey.
A Flood Watch stays in impact for a lot of the area by way of Wednesday night, together with Houston, whereas a Flash Flood Warning was in impact early Wednesday for Hardin, Jefferson, Tyler, Chambers, Liberty, Polk and San Jacinto counties.
In the meantime, the Port Arthur Impartial College District introduced that it’ll stay closed Wednesday to evaluate harm to infrastructure.
Metropolis emergency administration officers stated they have been investigating widespread experiences of a gasoline odor throughout components of town because the storm got here ashore.
Each town and Jefferson County issued catastrophe declarations forward of the storm to assist velocity up anticipated cleanup.
The Jefferson County Commissioner shared video of downed bushes that had taken down energy strains late Tuesday, and requested folks to remain off the roads.
Beaumont introduced that metropolis services wouldn’t open till midday Wednesday whereas crews labored to clear particles.
Tropical Melancholy Edouard to unleash heavy rain, flooding by way of Wednesday
In response to the FOX Forecast Heart, the heaviest rain will fall inland in Texas by way of noon Wednesday because the storm’s middle strikes inland, considerably paralleling the Interstate 45 hall.
“The best rain totals will probably be someplace north and east of the Houston Metro and east of I-45,” the FOX Forecast Heart stated.
“The rain totals could possibly be as excessive as 8-10 inches in some spots, however most will see a beneficiant 3-5 inches of rain.”
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Heart (WPC) has issued a Stage 3 out of 4 flash flood danger for a slender hall east of I-45 from Livingston to only north of Palestine.
Edouard marks the third landfall of the 2026 hurricane season
Tropical Storm Edouard strengthened earlier than making landfall Tuesday afternoon.
“Because it neared the coast, the internal core was capable of kind solely a phase of an eyewall on the southwest aspect of the storm,” the FOX Forecast Heart stated.
“On this very small phase, tall thunderstorms fashioned over the middle, permitting for winds to select up from 40 mph to 60 mph.”
A prime wind gust of 90 mph was recorded in Port Arthur, with two different hurricane-force gusts measured within the space Tuesday.
That is the third landfall of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, with the earlier two tropical storms additionally coming ashore alongside the northwestern Gulf Coast: Arthur close to Matagorda County, Texas, on June 17, and Bertha in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, on July 22.
A prime wind gust of 90 mph was recorded in Port Arthur, with two different hurricane-force gusts measured within the space Tuesday.
That is the third landfall of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, with the earlier two tropical storms additionally coming ashore alongside the northwestern Gulf Coast: Arthur close to Matagorda County, Texas, on June 17, and Bertha in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, on July 22.
Tropical Melancholy Edouard developed rapidly from a cluster of thunderstorms within the northern Gulf Friday night.
The cluster was tagged as Make investments 97L on Saturday afternoon.
From there, Edouard strengthened from a Potential Tropical Cyclone to a full-blown tropical storm throughout the span of 9 hours on Monday.
