PINELLAS COUNTY – The National Hurricane Center announced that the fifth tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season had formed the northern Gulf of Mexico on Sunday evening.
Tropical storm warnings were issued for the Louisiana coast from the mouth of the Mississippi westward to Intracoastal City. A tropical storm watch also was issued for west of Intracoastal City to Port O’Connor Texas.
At 6 p.m., the center of the storm was located about 95 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Edouard was moving toward the west at about 6 mph. Forecasters expect the storm to continue moving west-northwest and parallel the Louisiana coast through the night and into Monday.
The storm was expected to approach the upper Texas coast on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph with higher gusts. The NHC said Edouard could near hurricane strength before landfall.
The NHC predicts that as many as 16 named storms could form in 2008. Of that number six to nine could be hurricanes and two to five could strengthen into major hurricanes. A major hurricane is a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
An average season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.
Bertha was the first hurricane of 2008 and the first major hurricane. Bertha formed as a tropical storm near Cape Verde Islands on July 3 and was upgraded to a hurricane and a major hurricane (Category 3) on July 7.
Dolly formed as the fourth named tropical storm of the 2008 season on July 20 and was upgraded to a hurricane, the second of the season, on July 22.
Hurricane forecasters will update their seasonal forecasts on Aug. 5 and Aug. 7. TBNweekly.com will post the new forecasts as soon as they become available.
Emergency management officials continue to urge residents to stay prepared and in tune with local weather forecasts throughout hurricane season. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
