Tropical Storm Edouard is intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico as it barrels toward the upper Texas coast, prompting several school districts across Southeast Texas to cancel classes Tuesday, September 1. The National Hurricane Center reports that Edouard has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving west-northwest toward the Texas-Louisiana border. Forecasters expect the storm to approach hurricane strength before making landfall Tuesday evening.
School districts, including Anahuac, Channelview, Cleveland, Crosby, Dayton, Galena Park, Goose Creek CISD, Humble, Liberty, and Sheldon ISDs, have announced full closures. Others affected include Willis ISD, which opted for early dismissals. Lee College and other educational institutions have also suspended operations.
Governor Greg Abbott stated that weather conditions could deteriorate rapidly Tuesday afternoon, stressing that saving lives is the top priority. The region faces a greater danger from torrential rain and flooding than from high winds. According to the National Hurricane Center, the area will experience 3 to 6 inches of rainfall, with isolated totals of up to 9 inches, and rates reaching 3 to 4 inches per hour in heavier bands.
A hurricane watch and storm surge warning remain in effect for the upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts, where storm surges could push water levels 3 to 5 feet above normal. CenterPoint Energy has activated its emergency operations center to prepare for potential power outages, while the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management advised residents to stay alert and subscribe to ReadyHarris notifications.