MIAMI — Tropical Storm Edouard formed Monday in the Gulf of Mexico and was expected to gain strength before bringing potentially heavy rains and flooding into parts of Texas and Louisiana.
The storm was upgraded Monday night from a tropical depression and forecasters with the National Hurricane Center expect it will make landfall in Texas on Tuesday.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the biggest problem expected from the storm is flooding. Forecasters are anticipating 3-6 inches (7-15 centimeters) of rain in the greater Houston area, with some areas of the state's upper coast getting up to 9 inches (22 centimeters). More than 4 inches (10 centimeters) per hour could fall and will likely cause flash flooding in low-lying and urban areas, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This is our first big storm of the season, and I’ll tell you, Texas is prepared,” Orlando Alanis of the Texas Division of Emergency Management said during a news conference.
The tropical storm was centered Monday evening about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Cameron, Louisiana, and 175 miles (280 kilometers) southeast of Port Arthur, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph).
Crews worked Monday to clear dry vegetation that could ignite from a lightning strike and cause fast-spreading fires, Abbott said.
Meanwhile, the remnants of Hurricane Dolly brought rain and thunderstorms to parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the Turks & Caicos, and the Bahamas, the hurricane center said.
In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Lowell was about 740 miles (1,190 kilometers) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and moving west with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). Forecasters said Lowell could rapidly intensify by Monday night or Tuesday and reach the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands later this week.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Karina strengthened Monday into a powerful Category 4 storm, but isn't threatening land, forecasters said.
Karina has intensified quickly since becoming a hurricane Sunday, fueled by warm waters far from any shore. It was centered about 1,055 miles (1,700 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico and moving west, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 kph), the center said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but waves were expected to affect Mexico and likely Southern California. Additional strengthening was possible on Monday, followed by fluctuations in intensity, the Miami-based center said.