Although Katy has not experienced the storm’s worst conditions, many local residents have family and friends in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Silsbee, Livingston, Lufkin and other communities affected by flooding and power outages.
By The Katy News | September 2, 2026
For many people in Katy, Tropical Depression Edouard is not simply another storm shown on a weather map.
It may be a parent in Beaumont sitting in a home without electricity. It may be a relative in Orange watching water rise along a nearby road, a college student near Lufkin sheltering from heavy rain or a friend in Southwest Louisiana trying to preserve the last remaining charge on a cellphone.
Although Katy has not received the worst of Edouard, families across the area may be anxiously waiting for updates from loved ones living in the storm’s path.
A brief text message, a planned check-in time or an offer of a safe place to stay could make an important difference.
Edouard’s Greatest Threat Is Now Flooding
Edouard weakened to a tropical depression after making landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border, but weakening winds do not mean the danger has ended.
The National Weather Service said Edouard’s remnants continue to pose a significant heavy-rain threat across the Piney Woods and other portions of East and Southeast Texas. Some already saturated areas could receive an additional 2 to 6 inches of rain, with higher amounts possible in isolated locations. (National Weather Service)
The National Weather Service office in Lake Charles described some of the overnight flooding in Southeast Texas as catastrophic and warned that additional heavy showers could continue. (National Weather Service)
Flood watches and warnings Wednesday included communities and counties around Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Silsbee, Livingston, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Polk County, San Jacinto County, Liberty County and other portions of the Piney Woods.
Thousands Remain Without Power
Power outages continue to be one of Edouard’s most widespread impacts.
Entergy Texas reported that approximately 51,000 customers remained without electricity as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, down from a peak of approximately 80,000 customers Tuesday. Crews had restored service to about 25,000 customers overnight.
The utility identified Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange and Silsbee as some of the communities experiencing the greatest impacts. Restoration could take longer in heavily damaged or flooded areas because crews may be unable to safely reach damaged electrical equipment. (Entergy)
For Katy residents with relatives in those communities, a missed call does not necessarily mean something is wrong. Cell towers may be affected, phones may be losing power and families may be conserving battery life.
Send a Text Before Repeatedly Calling
During an emergency, text messages may be more practical than repeated phone calls. Ready.gov recommends using text messages, email or social media to communicate with family and friends when regular telephone service is congested or unreliable. (Ready.gov)
Katy residents can send their loved ones a short message that requires only a simple response:
Please reply with: SAFE, your location, whether you have power and your phone battery percentage. Let me know what you need.
Avoid requesting a long telephone or video conversation unless necessary. A short response can confirm that the person is safe while helping them conserve battery power.
Families should also agree on a specific check-in time, such as every two or four hours. That can reduce anxiety and prevent repeated calls that drain the person’s phone.
Questions to Ask Loved Ones in the Storm’s Path
When contact is established, ask practical questions:
- Are you currently in a safe location?
- Is water approaching your home or street?
- Do you have electricity and running water?
- How much phone battery do you have?
- Do you have necessary medications?
- Does anyone depend on electrically powered medical equipment?
- Do you have enough drinking water and food?
- Are elderly relatives, children and pets safe?
- Is there a neighbor nearby who can check on you?
- Do you need a safe place to stay once roads are passable?
Residents who depend on electrical medical equipment or refrigerated medication should have an outage plan and contact their medical provider when necessary. (Ready.gov)
If there is an immediate threat to life, loved ones should call 911. For a non-immediate welfare concern, Katy family members may contact the appropriate local public-safety agency in the affected person’s city or county.
Do Not Immediately Drive Into the Affected Area
The desire to reach a parent, child or friend can be strong, but Katy residents should not drive into a flooded community without first checking road conditions and local emergency instructions.
Floodwater may hide damaged pavement, stalled vehicles, debris or downed electrical lines. Roads that were open earlier in the day can become impassable after another band of heavy rain.
National Weather Service warnings have repeatedly advised motorists not to drive around barricades or through flooded roads. (National Weather Service)
Unless there is an immediate emergency and authorities have instructed otherwise, it may be safer to coordinate with a neighbor, relative or emergency agency already located near the affected person.
Ways Katy Families Can Help From a Distance
Even before roads reopen, Katy residents can provide meaningful assistance.
They can help relatives locate outage information, monitor weather alerts and identify nearby shelters or cooling locations. They can arrange a hotel room outside the affected area, transfer emergency funds or coordinate with another family member who lives closer.
Katy families can also begin preparing a temporary place for loved ones to stay. Consider whether they will need transportation, pet accommodations, prescription refills, clothing, chargers or assistance replacing spoiled food.
Before sending someone on the road, confirm that the route is open and that the destination can be reached safely.
Power Outage Safety Information to Share
Families in the storm’s path may remain without electricity for hours or possibly longer. Katy residents should pass along the following safety information.
Use generators outside only
A portable generator should never be operated inside a house, garage, basement, carport, enclosed porch or other partially enclosed area.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends placing generators outside and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and vents. Homes using generators should also have a working battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide detector. (CDC)
Carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled and can become deadly before people realize they are being exposed.
Generators should never be connected directly to a home’s wiring without properly installed transfer equipment. Improper connections can endanger the homeowner, neighbors and utility workers restoring electrical service.
Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed
During an outage, families should avoid repeatedly opening refrigerators and freezers.
According to the CDC, an unopened refrigerator generally keeps food safe for about four hours. A full, unopened freezer can keep food safe for approximately 48 hours, while a half-full freezer can maintain safe temperatures for about 24 hours. (CDC)
After four hours without electricity, perishable refrigerated food may need to be placed in a cooler with ice or discarded. Food should never be tasted to determine whether it is safe.
Stay away from downed power lines
Every downed electrical line should be treated as energized.
Do not touch a line, tree, fence, vehicle or standing water that may be in contact with damaged electrical equipment. Keep children and pets away and report the hazard to the local electric utility or emergency services.
Use flashlights instead of candles
Flashlights and battery-powered lanterns are safer than candles during an outage. Candles can create a serious fire risk, particularly when families are moving through dark or storm-damaged homes.
Conserve cellphone power
Loved ones without electricity should activate low-power mode, reduce screen brightness and close unnecessary applications.
They should consider turning the phone off between agreed-upon check-in times if the battery is becoming critically low. Portable battery banks should be reserved for communication and emergency information.
Katy Residents Should Remain Weather-Aware
The storm’s most serious flooding has been concentrated east and northeast of Katy, but portions of the broader Southeast Texas region—including Waller County, Brookshire and parts of Harris County—were included in flood watches extending into Thursday morning. (National Weather Service)
Rainbands can also produce localized street flooding, lightning and brief power interruptions away from the storm’s center.
Katy-area residents should continue monitoring official weather alerts, particularly before traveling toward East Texas or Louisiana.
For Katy Families, Edouard Is Personal
A storm does not have to pass directly over Katy to affect the people who live here.
Many local families have parents, children, relatives, former neighbors, church members and friends throughout Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. For them, Edouard may mean waiting for a message, helping someone find shelter or preparing a room for a loved one who needs to leave a flooded community.
The most useful message a Katy resident can send may also be the simplest:
Are you safe? Where are you? Do you have power? What do you need?
Continue checking in, help loved ones conserve their phone batteries and do not enter flooded areas before authorities say roads are safe.
