Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to bring torrential rain to some parts of the Houston region on Tuesday and Wednesday, although where residents will experience the most impact remains to be seen.
The storm made landfall Tuesday afternoon and is expected to track inland overnight.
Chronicle journalists are tracking the storm and its impacts throughout the region. Follow below for the latest updates on Edouard.
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CenterPoint Energy said in a news release it has restored electricity to about 8,900 residents in the Houston area since 6 a.m. Around 200 remain without power as of 10 p.m.
“CenterPoint activated its Emergency Operations Center Monday morning and pre-staged approximately 2,700 frontline electric workers and more than 100 frontline gas workers to respond to potential outages and other impacts from the storm,” the company said. “Crews continue working through the night to restore service and respond to any additional outages caused by weather-related impacts.”
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At 7:15 p.m., around 70,000 Entergy Texas customers were without power in areas including Chambers, Liberty and Montgomery counties.
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– Ashley Soebroto
The tropical storm that made landfall on Tuesday afternoon near Johnson Bayou, Louisiana weakened into a tropical depression by the evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The agency said sustained winds have decreased to a maximum speed of 35 mph, and that Edouard is further expected to weaken over the next day or so.
By Wednesday night, Edouard will have dissipated.
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Some regions, from the Upper Texas Coast inland to east-central Texas, could see 3 to 7 inches of rain, making flash flooding possible.
– Ashley Soebroto
The National Weather Service said it dropped tropical storm warnings for Chambers County and southern Liberty County as Edouard moved inland.
A wind advisory is still in place for areas along and east of Interstate 45 through Wednesday afternoon.
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Heavy rainfall is still expected in parts of southeast Texas overnight, especially in the Piney Woods overnight into Wednesday.
– Ashley Soebroto
At 7:15 p.m., around 70,000 customers were without power across Entergy Texas’ service area, according to a news release. That includes customers in Chambers, Liberty and Montgomery counties.
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“Our crews are doing everything they can to safely restore service to our customers,” said Frank Shannon, vice president of reliability for Entergy Texas. “While high winds, flooding and other conditions can make restoration more challenging, our teams will continue working to reach all areas affected by the storm as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The company said it had more than 1,500 workers in the field to make repairs and restore power.
– Ashley Soebroto
After keeping schools open Tuesday, HISD announced schools will remain open Wednesday.
Some Houston-area school districts announced they will close Wednesday just after Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall in Johnson Bayou, in southwest Louisiana near Sabine Pass Tuesday.
Forecasts show communities farther inland, including Conroe, face an elevated risk for excessive rainfall, where rates could reach 2 to 3 inches per hour, with some locations receiving more than 6 inches overall.
– Ashley Soebroto
Houston officials are urging residents to stay off the roads this evening as a precaution, but the highest flood risk is currently concentrated east of the Houston metro area, especially around Beaumont and Port Arthur.
For most of Houston and surrounding communities, evening plans should be manageable, although heavy downpours could leave some roads wet or briefly flooded. Conditions can change quickly, so drivers should avoid water-covered roads and be prepared for slower travel where storms pass.
The distinction is important: Edouard remains a serious flooding threat in parts of Southeast Texas, but that threat is not uniform across the region.
-Justin Ballard
President Donald Trump announced on social media more than $50 million in federal funding to help Texas with recovery efforts from severe storms.
“Texas is a special place, and I will be back soon to support Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, and the entire ticket of Republican Candidates, who have my complete and total endorsement,” said Trump.
He also said he would be sending $21 million and $19.9 million to Kansas and Missouri, respectively, for storm relief.
– Ashley Soebroto
Nearly 1,000 Entergy customers in the Beaumont area were without power, according to the company’s website. This comes as Tropical Storm Edouard moved through the area Tuesday evening.
As the tropical storm moved inland Tuesday afternoon, about 27,000 Entergy customers reported outages, according to the Beaumont Enterprise, with the remaining 988 customers still without power as of 6 p.m.
– Mike Garcia
The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has extended a flash flood warning for southeastern Jefferson County until 7:45 p.m. as heavy rain continues. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen, with an additional 3 to 5 inches possible.
– Mike Garcia
Crews have put up staged barricades in some parts of Houston ahead of Tropical Storm Edouard in case underpasses or low-lying roads flood and become unsafe for drivers. This includes barricades along the intersection of Emancipation and Navigation in the East End, news outlet KPRC reported.
The Harris County Office of Emergency Management has a full list of the locations, including underpasses, for areas that could have barricades due to potential flooding.
City officials have urged Houstonians to not get on the roads as the storm makes its landfall toward the region.
– Octavia Johnson
As Tropical Storm Edouard neared landfall Tuesday afternoon, a couple of Port Arthur residents were seen attempting to salvage a downed fence as winds meterologists said could reach more than 50 miles per hour blew through the area.
– Mike Garcia
During a campaign event in Pasadena, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall near Beaumont and that “significant” rain has occurred from Galveston to Jefferson and Orange counties.
“The wind is not all that significant and should be dying down as a problem,” Abbott said, noting that heavy rain is expected in east Texas for the next 24 to 36 hours, crossing Jefferson and Orange counties and north to the cities of Hunstville and Nacogdoches.
Abbott said his office has received requests for assistance from Jasper and Newton counties and has been in contact with county leadership there. Abbott said his administration is coordinating resources to areas that are expected to see rain over the next 24 hours to ensure they receive the resources they need.
“Bottom line is this: Let’s get through this storm without anybody losing their life, we can always work on rebuilding after that,” Abbott said. “But in the meantime, join us in protecting your life.”
– Mike Garcia
The Conroe and Willis school districts will close Wednesday due to Tropical Storm Edouard, according to district social media posts.
Both Montgomery County districts said the decision to close was based on the latest forecasts which show that the storm is expected to move farther into the area.
“We understand that weather conditions and individual circumstances can vary widely across our community,” Conroe ISD officials said. “Conroe ISD spans 348 square miles, and while some areas may see relatively minor impacts, others may experience heavy rainfall, flooding, power outages, or hazardous road conditions.”
Some districts, such as Magnolia ISD, said they plan to keep schools open on Wednesday and continue to monitor weather forecasts.
– Ashley Soebroto
The number of customers without power in Harris County increased to 380 by Tuesday afternoon, most of them in Houston as of 3 p.m., according to CenterPoint’s outage tracker.
In Brazoria County, more than 200 customers were without power throughout the morning, but by 3 p.m. CenterPoint was reporting only six,
The utility tracks outages across its 12-county Greater Houston service area, which includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Waller and Wharton counties.
Across those counties, only isolated outages were reported throughout the morning and afternoon as CenterPoint works with local, state and federal agencies as Tropical Storm Edouard makes landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border.
-Yvette Orozco
Tropical Storm Edouard has made landfall near Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, near Sabine Pass, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm’s center crossed the coast at 2:20 p.m. Tuesday with peak winds of 60 mph and heavy rain to the Port Arthur and Beaumont areas.
– Mike Garcia
Port Arthur mayor Charlotte Moses issued a disaster declaration Tuesday afternoon ahead of Tropical Storm Eduoard’s landfall.
In a Facebook post, officials said the declaration was signed out of an “abundance of caution,” to prepare for any extreme weather. Officials said the primary concern for residents is heavy rainfall and localized flooding.
“Please do not drive through flooded roadways,” city officials said in a written statement. “Turn around, don’t drown.”
– Ashley Soebroto
The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Edouard has strengthened slightly as it approaches landfall, with maximum sustained winds at 60 mph, according to a post on X.
Three National Oceanic service stations in Texas and Louisiana have reported sustained winds between 40 and 55 mph, with wind gusts between 45 and 68 mph.
-Mike Garcia
Lake Houston has been lowered to one foot below full pool in order to absorb some of the rain runoff, said Houston Office of Emergency Management Director Brian Mason in a press briefing with Mayor John Whitmire Tuesday morning.
Additionally, barricades have been in place since Monday for underpasses and road areas prone to flooding, Mason said.
Rain of up to three to five inches was expected around the Houston area Tuesday afternoon, with some isolated areas on the east side experiencing 10 to 12 inches of rain, Mason added.
City operations are at a high readiness level.
Officials urged Houstonians to avoid driving Tuesday night if possible, and once again, urged residents to exercise common sense and never drive into ponded water on roads.
Residents are encouraged to follow trusted sources for information, including the Office of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service. The city will provide updates through text service; residents are encouraged to text 888777 to alerthouston.
– Tanya Babbar
Chambers County issued a disaster declaration and opened a small emergency operations center on Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Edouard. County government offices closed at noon so staff could return home safely before weather worsened.
“Chambers County will continue coordinating with the National Weather Service and our local response partners throughout the event,” county officials wrote in a statement. “Our small-scale EOC will remain operational to maintain situational awareness, coordinate resources and support response activities as needed.”
– Jarrod Wardwell
As Tropical Storm Edouard makes its way inland, George Bush Intercontinental Airport warns that flight delays and cancellations are possible today.
Travelers are urged to check their flight status before heading to the airport and allow extra travel time, according to an X post from Bush Airport.
“Some airlines are offering travel waivers. Check with your airline for eligibility,” according to the post.
The Federal Aviation Administration also issued guidance in an X post that those flying into and out of Texas and Louisiana could have impacts from the storm.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a news conference Tuesday morning the city is “better prepared” for the approaching tropical disturbance than it has been for other extreme weather events.
“We’re better prepared today than ever in Houston’s history, quite frankly,” Whitmire said.
When Hurricane Beryl and the derecho hit in 2024, Whitmire said he found out the city lacked back up generators in many first responder stations, such as fire stations and cooling centers.
Since then, Whitmire said his administration has added backup generators to 100 city facilities, as well as a thousand extra police officers — bolstering his confidence in the city’s preparedness this week.
Whitmire added that his administration has engaged in aggressive drainage repair to fix “years of neglect” toward city infrastructure.
City roads are designed to carry water, said Randy Macchi, Houston Public Works Director. Still, flood mitigation is an effort that the city will have to partner with the Harris County Flood Control district to address, Whitmire said.
“Everyone, look out for each other,” Whitmire said at the end of the news conference. “Which Houston probably does better than any other major city.”
– Tanya Babbar
Surfers hit the water in Galveston as Tropical Storm Edouard moves through the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is bringing heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the Texas coast. Forecasters are also warning of dangerous rip currents and rough beach conditions.⁠
The Galveston Beach Conditions website has yellow warning flags flying along the beach today. A yellow flag indicates that beachgoers should use caution when entering the water and they should stay close to shore on yellow days.
– Brett Coomer
Regional utility company Entergy Texas was also preparing for the storm’s potential impact on the power grid. Utility officials said their crews and equipment were “strategically positioned” throughout southeast Texas.
Customers should avoid flooded areas, work crews and downed power lines, use generators with safety and seek shelter during severe weather conditions, according to the company.
“Customers should be finalizing their storm plans,” Stuart Barrett, the vice president of customer service for Entergy Texas, said in a release on Tuesday. “We encourage customers to stay in touch with us throughout the storm for the latest information on outages and restoration efforts.”
– Jarrod Wardwell
CenterPoint Energy has 2,700 frontline workers staged to restore power if needed across the region.
Teams have restored power for approximately 1,000 customers so far, according to an 11:30 a.m. update from the company.
“Tropical Storm Edouard began impacting the Upper Texas Coast around 10 a.m. today with sustained winds of 50 miles per hour and forecast heavy rainfall of two to four inches with locally higher amounts further east,” according to the update.
As of 11:30 a.m., approximately 750 customers were experiencing storm-related outages.
Harris County officials encourage drivers to be in a safe location by midafternoon today.
The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management encourages drivers to be off the roads by midafternoon due to the possibility of street flooding, according to an update sent around 11 a.m.
Drivers can also check the Houston TranStar live traffic map for information on road conditions.
– Dana Burke
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo encouraged local residents to prepare for Tropical Storm Edouard on Tuesday ahead of heavy rain and possible flash floods. She said county officials were prepared to respond to flooding emergencies — high water rescue vehicles were on standby and staffers were ready to monitor waterways.
“Residents should plan to stay off the roads as much as possible once rainfall begins this afternoon,” she said in a statement posted on social media. “Heavy rain could cause street flooding issues during rush hour that could make commuting dangerous.”
Locals should keep tabs on traffic conditions and weather alerts, she added.
– Jarrod Wardwell
Conroe ISD and several Houston schools have canceled after-school activities today as Edouard approaches the Houston region.
All after-school activities and events for Conroe ISD schools have been canceled for today, according to the district’s website. The district has also made adjustments to transportation plans for this afternoon.
High-school buses will run 30 minutes early. Elementary buses will be 15 minutes ahead. Junior high and intermediate buses will be on the normal schedule.
Car rider lines at high schools and elementary schools will also begin at the adjusted dismissal times. Currently, Conroe ISD plans to have school Wednesday.
Additionally, YES Prep campuses have canceled all after-school activities, but school remains open today. KIPP Texas – Houston also canceled after-school activities.
Texas Department of Public Safety offices are closed in several counties today ahead of Tropical Storm Edouard.
Closures include offices in Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty and Galveston. These counties are along the coast on the east side of the Houston region where the storm is expected to track.
– Dana Burke
Tropical storm conditions are starting to arrive on the Texas and Louisiana coasts on Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center reported on social media at 10 a.m.
“Hurricane conditions, especially in gusts, are still possible from High Island to Cameron later today,” the post states.
The Upper Texas coast through east-central Texas will be impacted by heavy rain Tuesday and Wednesday as Edouard moves inland.
– Dana Burke
The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center reports that the Galveston & Texas City VA Clinics will close at 12 p.m. on Tuesday.
VA staff are reaching out to veterans to offer virtual care appointments. People with questions or concerns may call the Galveston Clinic at 409-761-3200 or the Texas City Clinic at 409-986-2900.
The Beaumont Clinic is closed on Tuesday.
— Dana Burke
Mayor John Whitmire is scheduled to give a Tuesday morning update about the city’s preparations for Tropical Storm Edouard and the rainfall it will bring.
He plans to speak during a news conference with the city’s Office of Emergency Management at 11:30 a.m.
— Jarrod Wardwell
Houston ISD canceled all after-school activities on Tuesday due to the inclement weather. The district confirmed school dismissal will stick to its normal time.
“We will keep families informed and communicate any changes as needed,” school officials wrote in a statement on Tuesday.
— Jarrod Wardwell
This map shows a snapshot of real-time flood conditions based on current river gauge heights compared to their normal levels.
— Houston Chronicle staff
Tropical Storm Edouard was strengthening Tuesday morning as it moved toward the Texas-Louisiana coast, putting Houston and Southeast Texas on alert for heavy rainfall, strong winds and coastal flooding.
The storm was about 70 miles southeast of Port Arthur as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It was moving west-northwest at 8 mph, and U.S. Air Force hurricane hunters were investigating the storm.
— Justin Ballard
CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center and was monitoring weather-related impacts ahead of Tropical Storm Edouard.
As part of its storm preparedness tools, CenterPoint’s Action Center offers its customers a way to monitor any power outage updates or what to do if they smell gas or how to sign up for alerts. As of 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, CenterPoint reported around 485 homes and businesses without power in greater Houston out of the nearly 2.9 million customers tracked.
LIVE TRACKER: Track Texas power outages as they happen in real-time across the state
— Yvette Orozco, Sondra Hernandez
The Texas Department of Public Safety will close its driver license offices in Orange, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty and Galveston counties Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Edouard.
— Catherine Dominguez
CenterPoint Energy reminded customers to stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and to report any downed power lines CenterPoint Energy by calling 713-207-2222.
— Yvette Orozco
Flooding: The risk of localized flooding will be the primary threat posed by Tropical Storm Edouard, especially near and east of Interstate 45.
Winds: Gusty winds are also expected Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning as Edouard makes its closest pass to Houston.
Storm surge: While flooding from locally heavy rain will be the primary concern associated with Edouard, storm surge flooding will be possible.
— Justin Ballard
During a briefing about the state’s storm preparations on Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott said was flooding would be the most significant hazard related to the tropical storm. Some local downpour could total 10 to 15 inches and fall at 3 to 4 inches per hour, he said.
The San Jacinto and Nueces rivers could rise, but it’s too early to tell if they’d pose an imminent threat, Abbott added. He said the storm surge upon landfall is expected to reach 2 to 4 feet in Chambers and Jefferson counties.
“It’s just common sense to the public to watch for rising waters and rivers and the harm that it can cause you,” he said.
— Jarrod Wardwell
Tropical Storm Edouard is expected to continue drifting northwest through Tuesday morning before reaching Southeast Texas likely Tuesday afternoon or evening.
Confidence is high that Edouard will thread the needle between High Island and Sabine Pass, which would keep the strongest wind gusts and heaviest rainfall likely just east of Houston.
— Justin Ballard
Several school districts — including Humble, Galveston and Pasadena ISDs — announced Tuesday closures because of the storm.
See the full list here.
— Ashley Soebroto
The first round of rain could reach the upper Texas coast before sunrise Tuesday.
Rain will become more widespread along the coast and across parts of Chambers, Galveston and eastern Brazoria counties through the morning. Some early downpours could produce brief street flooding and reduced visibility.
WHEN WILL EDOUARD HIT HOUSTON: Here’s when the worst weather is forecast to reach the area
A flood watch will be in effect from early Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning for areas generally along and east of Interstate 45, including Houston.
— Justin Ballard
Tropical Storm Edouard formed in the Gulf Monday night. Around 7 p.m., the rotating center of Edouard was about 175 miles southeast of Port Arthur, had sustained winds of 40 mph, and was moving west-northwest at 6 mph.
Tropical storm warnings, which include communities in Chambers County like Anahuac and Mont Belvieu, will remain in effect through at least Tuesday ahead of Edouard’s arrival.