Tropical Storm Edouard is closing in on the northern Gulf Coast of the United States, with its track pointing right along the Louisiana-Texas border by later in the afternoon. According to forecasters, the system could be a 60 mile-per-hour tropical storm as it approaches, and tropical storm warnings have already been issued for the area in its path.
The biggest threat from Edouard, according to the forecast, is the rainfall. The heaviest rain is expected to be bounded by Galveston and the Houston area, all the way to Beaumont, with two to four inches falling over a widespread area. In some spots, localized amounts could reach over half a foot, particularly just north of Houston.
In the hardest-hit locations, the totals could climb even higher. According to the report, up to nine inches of rain could fall in some areas, and millions of people along the Gulf Coast are bracing for the storm. Edouard is expected to bring heavy rain, dangerous storm surge and flash flooding to parts of Texas and Louisiana.
The approaching storm has already prompted changes to daily life in the region. According to the report, many schools in the Houston area planned to be closed for the day as the system moved in, one of the visible signs of how communities along the coast were preparing for the arrival of the heavy weather.
Emergency crews moved equipment into place ahead of the worst conditions. Officials said they had aircraft, including rescue aircraft, swift-water rescue boats and high-water vehicles already deployed, so that they would be able to do everything possible to protect people and save lives as the weather deteriorated.
Utilities were also getting ready for the possibility of disruptions. According to the report, local power companies said they had resources in position in case of power outages caused by the storm. The preparations reflected the range of risks tied to a tropical storm pushing toward a populated stretch of the Gulf Coast.
Beyond the storm, forecasters were tracking a second major weather story across the country. According to the report, heat and humidity were spreading all the way to the East Coast, and Washington, D.C., was expected to see a heat index of 104 by Thursday, pointing to an unsettled stretch of weather for large parts of the United States.