Tropical Storm Edouard Making Landfall in Texas

Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall in Texas with 65 mph winds Tuesday, August 5, 2008. The forecast warned of the possibility of 3-5 inches of rain across a wide area, as much as 10 inches of rain in some areas. In addition to flooding, the storm could spawn tornadoes.

Photo: NOAA

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Tropical Storm Edouard, which formed Sunday, August 3 in the Gulf of Mexico and began lashing the Louisiana coast with rain and wind, made landfall along the Texas coastline Tuesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

With maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, Edouard is a powerful storm, but still about 10 mph short of hurricane strength. Forecasters had been saying since Sunday that the storm could reach hurricane strength just before landfall.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect from Grand Isle, La. to Sargent, Texas, and hurricane watch remains for Intracoastal City, La. to Sargent, Texas. Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to drop 3-5 inches of rain over a wide area, and as much as 10 inches in some spots. It could also spawn tornadoes.

Houston and surrounding communities were preparing for flooding.

Edouard is the fifth named storm of 2008 in the Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Forecasters have predicted an above-average hurricane season for the Atlantic, where the storms most damaging to the U.S. form, could spawn 12 to 16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes and as many as five major hurricanes.

The first tropical storm of the Atlantic season, Arthur, brought punishing rains to parts of Central America June 1, right in time for the official start of the hurricane season. Hurricane Bertha followed, the longest-lived tropical storm on record in July. Hurricane Dolly dumped copious rain on Texas and neighboring states, leading to flooding and costly damage in some communities.

The eastern Pacific Ocean has seen seven named storms, four of them hurricanes.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center have predicted that conditions will spawn a below-average storm season in the eastern Pacific, with 11-16 named storms, including five to eight hurricanes, as many as three of them major (Category 3 or greater) storms.

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Atlantic

Tropical Storm Arthur formed quickly on May 31 off Belize, lost tropical storm strength in fewer than 24 hours, and brought punishing rains of 10-15 inches to parts of the Yucatán Peninsula, including Mexico and Guatemala.


NOAA

Hurricane Bertha formed as a tropical storm July 3 in the far eastern Atlantic, then debuted as the Atlantic's first hurricane July 7 and quickly grew to major hurricane status. By the time it affected land, July 14 in Bermuda, it was a strong tropical storm, causing rough surf and 3-5 inches of rain. It broke the record for longest-lived July storm and on July 18 reformed into a hurricane.


NASA

Tropical Storm Cristobal formed on July 19 off the coast of the Carolinas. The first named storm to threaten the U.S. coast, Cristobal threatened 3-5 inches of rain and strong storm surges across South and North Carolina.


NOAA

Hurricane Dolly reached Category 2 strength in the Gulf of Mexico before making landfall near the Texas-Mexico border July 23, 2008. Heavy rains and wind led to flooding and costly damage in Texas and in neighboring states.


NASA

Tropical Storm Edouard formed August 3 in the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in Texas August 5 with 65 mph winds and heavy rains.


NOAA

2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Atlantic

Fay
Gustav
Hanna
Ike
Josephine
Kyle
Laura
Marco
Nana
Omar
Paloma
Rene
Sally
Teddy
Vicky
Wilfred

2008 Tropical Storms and Hurricanes - Pacific

Tropical Storm Alma brought heavy rains and winds to the Central American nations of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala after forming May 29.



Hurricane Boris formed near Baja California and headed west into the Pacific, before reaching hurricane strength July 1.



Tropical Storm Cristina formed near Hawaii June 29 but dissipated before making landfall.



Tropical Storm Douglas formed July 2 and threatened to dump heavy rains on portions of southwest Mexico.



Hurricane Elida formed July 12 as a tropical storm and became the season's second Pacific hurricane July 14 when it became a weak Category 1 storm tracking westward from Mexico.



Tropical Storm Fausto formed July 16 off the coast of Mexico and could grow into a hurricane.

Hurricane Genevieve formed in the Pacific Ocean, more than 580 miles off the coast of Mexico, on July 25, 2008, and did not affect land.


2008 Tropical Storm and Hurricane Names - Pacific

Hernan
Iselle
Julio
Karina
Lowell
Marie
Norbert
Odile
Polo
Rachel
Simon
Trudy
Vance
Winnie
Xavier
Yolanda
Zeke


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