Flooding rains pounded parts of southeast Texas this week, bringing life-threatening flooding to the region. Tropical Storm Edouard was behind the influx of rain, which prompted flash flood warnings across the region on Wednesday. During a summer when flooding seems to be making the headlines every week, it may be hard to understand why this Texas storm is getting so much attention.
But according to the Severe Weather U.S. Threads account, the storm dropped way more rain than was expected, making it a noteworthy overperformance worth talking about. “We did not expect this much rain,” the post said. “This system will definitely be studied.”
ABC News confirms the extent of the rainfall, saying that areas like Hardin and Tyler counties saw 10 to 21 inches of rain as of the afternoon of Sept. 2, 2026, with rain falling as heavy as 5 inches per hour at times.
An additional 8 to 12 inches were expected on Thursday, which could put the region in danger of catastrophic flooding thanks to the amount of rain that has already fallen.
Edouard Was Expected to Fall Apart
Texas was expecting to get the tail end of Edouard on Tuesday, when the tropical storm blew into the Texas-Louisiana border. However, that didn’t happen, according to CBS Evening News, and instead it brought flash flooding to low-lying areas, requiring several water rescues throughout the day.
People on the ground told reporters that everything happened very fast. One woman said that the water quickly overwhelmed her, reaching all the way up to her chest as she tried to get to safety. But the wall of water wasn’t even the biggest issue she faced, since she said snakes and fire ants were also swimming around her as she tried to get herself and her baby to safety.
The Storm Never Reached Hurricane Status
This may be the type of damage you’d expect to see from hurricanes, but CBS News reports that the storm never made it to hurricane status, despite 90 mph wind gusts that brought down trees and power lines, leaving more than 70,000 without power after Edouard blew through Wednesday.
Tornado Alley Weather Center shared an update about the storm on its Facebook page Thursday, telling followers that 20,000 customers were still without power. However, saturated ground and impassable roads are making it difficult to get power back to everyone.
While the Associated Press reports that at least 12 drivers had to be rescued, it sounds like there were no fatalities as a result of the storm.