Tropical Storm Fay threatens Texas, Louisiana

Bill Miller carries some of his belongings as he evacuates from his home in Treasure Island near Galveston on Friday.

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Fay edged onto the Texas coast near Galveston on Friday. The storm could dump up to 15 inches of rain on coastal areas of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Heavy rains and some flooding already were reported on Friday in the Galveston area.

Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning from Port Aransas, Texas, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. A hurricane watch is in effect from Port O'Connor to High Island, Texas.

The poorly defined storm is nearly stationary at latitude 27.8 north, longitude 94.8 west, or about 105 miles south of Galveston. Forecasters say movement in next few hours will be slow and erratic, but generally toward the west-northwest.

Top sustained winds are near 60 mph, with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center.

Forecasters predict Fay will strengthen in the next 24 hours and winds could approach hurricane strength before its predicted landfall at midday Saturday around Matagorda Bay.

A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds hit 74 mph.

The storm also could spin off tornadoes, according to forecasters.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Edouard is dissipating in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. The remnants of the storm are located at 28.7 north, longitude 86.7 west, or about 125 miles southeast of Apalachicola, Florida. Maximum winds are 25 mph. The storm is moving west at 9 mph.