Tropical Storm Edouard could strengthen to hurricane before landfall

Tropical Storm Edouard is poised to significantly strengthen before reaching the northwestern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, potentially reaching hurricane strength, the National Hurricane Center said.

Tropical storm warnings and a hurricane watch are in place along the Texas and Louisiana coasts near the state line.

Sea surface temperatures in this part of the Gulf are 2 to 4 degrees above average, helping to fuel Edouard.

Landfall will likely occur near the Louisiana-Texas state line around 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT Tuesday.

Edouard is expected to produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches, with maximum totals of up to 9 inches in parts of the Upper Texas Coast inland through east-central Texas. Far southwest Louisiana could see 2 to 4 inches of rain.

The heaviest rain is still expected to fall in the more rural areas between Houston and Beaumont.

The rainfall is likely to produce flash flooding, especially in low-lying and urban areas. River flooding may also be possible.

Winds of 70 mph or more are possible near the center of the storm at landfall, with the storm expected to quickly weaken after moving inland.

Storm surge of 3 to 5 feet is possible from High Island, Texas, to the Vermilion-Cameron Parish line in Louisiana.

A tornado or two is possible Tuesday afternoon and evening over parts of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.