Edouard Threatens Texas and Louisiana

Tropical Storm Edouard is heading toward the Gulf Coast, with forecasters expecting it to gain strength before making landfall in Texas on Tuesday. The storm was upgraded Monday night from a tropical depression, and the National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for the Gulf Coast from the Galveston and Houston, Texas, area to the western parishes of Louisiana.

Early Tuesday, the storm was about 65 miles (100 kilometers) south-southeast of Cameron, Louisiana, and 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Port Arthur, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) while moving west-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph). According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm was centered Monday evening about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Cameron and 175 miles (280 kilometers) southeast of Port Arthur.

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.

Crews worked Monday to clear dry vegetation that could ignite from a lightning strike and cause fast-spreading fires, Abbott said.

Other Atlantic and Pacific Systems

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 630 miles (1,015 kilometers) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) while moving west at 10 mph (17 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters said Lowell could rapidly intensify and become a major hurricane by Wednesday.

Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Karina strengthened Monday into a powerful Category 4 storm but isn't threatening land, forecasters said. Karina became a hurricane Sunday, fueled by warm waters far from any shore. On Tuesday morning, Karina was centered 1,210 miles (1,950 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (222 kph) while moving west-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph). 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.

Tropical Storm Marie formed early Tuesday well offshore of southwest Mexico and wasn't threatening land, the center said.