Tropical Storm Edouard (2008) facts for kids
| Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Edouard in Gulf of Mexico
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| Formed | August 3, 2008 |
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| Dissipated | August 8, 2008 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 65 mph (100 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 997 mbar (hPa); 29.44 inHg |
| Fatalities | None |
| Areas affected | Louisiana, Texas |
| Part of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Edouard was a tropical storm that started in the Gulf of Mexico. It formed from a weather system that was hanging around the northeastern Gulf in early August. On August 2, a low-pressure area began to form. This area slowly grew stronger. By August 3, it became Tropical Depression Five and was named Tropical Storm Edouard.
The tropical storm moved west on August 4. On August 5, it reached land on the upper Texas coast. This was about 40 miles southwest of Port Arthur. Edouard then moved further inland into Texas. The storm lost its strength over land and became a tropical depression late on August 5. This depression then moved northwest. It brought a lot of rain to central Texas on August 6.
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Preparing for Tropical Storm Edouard
When the storm was coming, emergency teams in Louisiana and Texas got ready. The Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, declared a disaster for 17 counties. These counties were in the storm's possible path. He also called on about 1,200 National Guard troops to help. A 70-member rescue team was also ready. Six helicopters and a team to bring food and water were prepared too.
About 200 buses were made ready in San Antonio and Houston. These buses would help people leave if needed. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal also declared a statewide emergency. In Cameron Parish, Louisiana, people were told to leave their homes. Sheriff's deputies set up roadblocks to help with this. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Shell Oil company moved about 40 workers from their drilling spots to safety.
Edouard's Impact on Land
The storm caused the ocean water to rise. This is called a storm surge. The water rose about 3.6 feet (1.1 meters) at Freshwater Locks in Louisiana. It also reached about 3.92 feet (1.2 meters) at Rollover Pass in Texas.
Heavy rain fell along the upper Texas coast. The most rain in Jefferson County was 4.69 inches (119 mm). This was measured near the East Bay Bayou. In the Houston area, 6.48 inches (165 mm) of rain fell. This was at the Baytown Emergency Management Center. On August 6, a group of thunderstorms near the storm's center caused more rain. About 6.11 inches (155 mm) fell near Hamilton, Texas.
The strongest winds reached about 65 miles per hour (105 km/h). These strong winds caused some power outages. A few trees also fell down because of the wind.
Related pages
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Tropical cyclones of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Images for kids
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Navigational buoy snapped loose and beached near Holly Beach, LA.
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Edouard's storm total rainfall
