LOUISIANA — Tropical Storm Edouard weakened to a tropical depression Tuesday evening after making landfall near the Louisiana-Texas border. It brought strong winds, heavy rain and widespread power outages across parts of southeastern Texas.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Edouard reached land near Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, just across the state line from the Beaumont area, at approximately 2:20 p.m. Tuesday. The storm was moving inland at about 8 mph when it made landfall.
By Tuesday evening, Edouard had weakened significantly, with maximum sustained winds dropping to approximately 35 mph. As the system lost tropical-storm strength, tropical storm warnings were discontinued for all Texas counties.
Forecasters expect the system to continue moving inland before dissipating by Wednesday night.
Edouard Brings Power Outages Across Southeast Texas
Although the storm weakened relatively quickly after reaching land, its effects were being felt across communities in southeastern Texas.
Entergy, which provides electricity to communities stretching from The Woodlands toward Beaumont, reported that more than 60,000 customers were without power as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.
The outages were concentrated primarily north and northeast of Houston.
CenterPoint Energy, which serves much of the Houston region, reported a considerably smaller number of outages. There were just over 200 customers without electricity at the time.
The disparity reflects the different service areas covered by the two utilities and the storm’s impact across a broad region.
Beaumont Officials Prepare for Severe Weather
Ahead of the storm’s arrival, Beaumont Mayor Roy West signed a disaster declaration as a precaution.
West said the city and county were prepared to respond to potential impacts from the storm. In addition, he urged residents to remain prepared as conditions developed.
“We’re very well prepared for anything that may occur,” West said in a social media statement. “We’re certainly praying for the best, but we are prepared for whatever may come our way.”
The declaration was intended to help local authorities respond quickly if conditions deteriorated or additional resources became necessary.
Edouard Expected to Dissipate by Wednesday
The weakening of Edouard reduces the immediate threat of tropical-storm-force winds across Texas. However, officials and residents remain attentive to potential flooding, heavy rainfall and additional power disruptions.
As the system moves farther inland, meteorologists expect it to continue losing strength.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Edouard will eventually dissipate by Wednesday night, bringing an end to the tropical system.
Even after a storm loses its tropical classification, however, rainfall and localized flooding can continue to create hazardous conditions.
What Comes Next for Affected Communities
For communities affected by the storm, restoring electricity remains one of the most immediate priorities.
Utility crews are expected to continue assessing damage and repairing infrastructure as weather conditions permit. Residents experiencing outages are being encouraged to follow updates from their local electricity providers and emergency management officials.
The storm’s rapid weakening highlights how tropical systems can still create significant disruptions. This occurs even when they do not maintain hurricane strength.
For southeastern Texas, the focus now shifts from storm preparation to recovery. Crews are working to restore power and communities assess the extent of Edouard’s impact.
