MIAMI — A tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico strengthened into Tropical Storm Edouard on Monday evening, with the National Hurricane Center forecasting additional intensification before the storm reaches the northwest Gulf Coast on Tuesday.

Edouard was located about 140 miles southeast of Cameron, Louisiana, and about 175 miles southeast of Port Arthur, Texas, as of 7 p.m. CDT, according to NHC Forecaster Brown. Maximum sustained winds had increased to 40 mph with higher gusts, and the storm was moving west-northwest at 6 mph. The minimum central pressure stood at 1010 mb, or 29.83 inches.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles from the center. On its forecast track, Edouard is predicted to reach the northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area Tuesday and move inland over southeast Texas on Tuesday night.

The NHC has issued a Tropical Storm Warning from Port Bolivar to the Vermilion/Iberia Parish Line. A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from High Island to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line. The hurricane center warns that tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast within the warning area by Tuesday morning, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

Storm surge poses the most immediate threat to coastal communities. The combination of storm surge and tide could push water to 2 to 4 feet above ground from High Island, Texas, to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line in Louisiana, and 1 to 3 feet from the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line to Morgan City, Louisiana, if peak surge coincides with high tide. The deepest water is expected along the immediate coast near and to the right of the center.

Rainfall projections add a significant inland flooding risk. Edouard is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain with maximum totals of 9 inches across parts of the Upper Texas Coast inland through east-central Texas. Far southwest Louisiana could see 2 to 3 inches. The NHC warns that this rainfall is likely to produce flash flooding, especially in low-lying and urban areas, and that river flooding may also be possible.

While Edouard’s direct path targets the Texas-Louisiana border region, Florida residents should note the storm’s position in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm center was located at latitude 28.4 North, longitude 91.6 West — well west of the Florida Panhandle — and its west-northwestward to northwestward motion is carrying it away from the state. No watches or warnings are in effect for any Florida counties.

Edouard is the fifth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, designated AL052026 by the NHC. The storm’s rapid organization from a tropical depression to a named tropical storm within hours underscores the warm Gulf waters that continue to fuel tropical development during peak hurricane season.

The NHC’s next complete advisory on Tropical Storm Edouard is scheduled for 10 p.m. CDT Monday, with updated track, intensity and rainfall forecasts.