Tropical Depression 5 strengthens into Tropical Storm Edouard

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA (WINK) — The 8pm advisory for tropical depression number 5 is in. Or should I say, what was once our fifth tropical depression of the 2026 hurricane season.

We're now five names deep as Edouard takes to the tropical field. National Hurricane Center has upgraded our system now at max sustained winds of 40mph. Central pressure has reportedly come down another millibar since our afternoon update, meaning the storm is strengthening. As pressure drops, winds catch up over time.

These smaller systems are also a bit trickier to forecast using our computer models. It remains moving generally west, northwest around 6 mph, a snails pace more or less which could give it a window to intensify further before tomorrow afternoon when landfall is predicted.

Right now, tropical storm warnings are in effect for western Gulf Coast Louisiana and easternmost coastal Texas. The Hurricane Center forecasts around 1-3 feet of surge as the system rolls towards impact.

If Edouard continues to organize further tonight, we can't rule out a brief phase of quicker strengthening, especially early Tuesday morning as the sun comes up. Tropical features in their early development stages tend to benefit from the overnight hours, and sometimes can get their act together as we start our following day.

Good news for us in southwest Florida - no tropical impacts will be felt here at home base. Your WINK Weather Authority will keep Edouard under close surveillance as it closes in on the northwest Gulf. The rest of the tropics are quiet, with the remnants of Dolly no longer likely to flare back up. The remainder of the Atlantic should be relatively silent despite peak season coming in, We turn our attention down the road to mid-late September. More on that to come, so stay tuned!