A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is bringing heavy rain to Louisiana and Mississippi, but forecasters don’t believe it will strengthen into anything significant.
“It’s going to be a minor nuisance. Street flooding could possibly be the biggest issue with this storm. That’s something we’ll clearly have to watch,” LSU Public Health Climatologist Barry Keim told Louisiana Radio Network.
At 1 p.m. CT Thursday, the system was moving inland over southeastern Louisiana. It has a low chance of developing into a tropical depression as it lingers near the coast on Thursday, and is expected to weaken further as it moves inland on Friday.
Parts of southeastern Louisiana, including Baton Rouge and New Orleans, remain under a flood watch until Friday. Other areas like Lafayette remain under the watch through Saturday morning.
Rainfall predictions
Louisiana is already experiencing heavy rain from the disturbance and this will continue through at least Friday. The National Weather Service lowered rainfall predictions for the region. They’re expecting an additional 0.5 to 2 inches for areas north of the Interstate 10/12 corridor, and 2 to 4 inches to the south. Some areas south of I-10 could see up to 8 inches through Saturday.
Risk of flooding
New Orleans and Baton Rouge remain under a flood watch until late Friday night. Other areas, including Lafayette, remain under the watch until Saturday morning. The National Weather Service said the risk for excessive rainfall and flash flooding is highest on Thursday and Friday for areas along and south of the I-10/12 corridor. The risk on Saturday depends on the amount of rain that falls earlier in the week.
Heavy rainfall could lead to ponding in low-lying and poorly drained areas, with some roads potentially becoming impassable. Residents are being urged to avoid driving through floodwaters.
The City of New Orleans has identified the following intersections as flood-prone areas:
- N. Carrollton Ave. at I-10
- City Park Ave. at I-10
- Canal Blvd. at Pontalba St.
- Marconi Dr. at I-610
- St. Bernard Ave. at Florida Ave.
- Paris Ave. at I-610
- Gentilly Blvd. at I-610
- Broad St. at Florida Ave.
- Franklin Ave. at I-10
- Gentilly Blvd. at Chef Menteur Hwy.
- Press Dr. at Leon C. Simon Dr.
- Downman Rd. at Lakeshore Dr.
- General DeGaulle Dr. at Woodland Dr.
- General DeGaulle Dr. at Westbank Expy.
- I-610 Underpass
In New Orleans, neutral ground parking is allowed through 7 p.m. Sunday.
Sandbag sites in New Orleans were only open until 1 p.m. Wednesday. Sites in other parishes remained open Thursday. Here's a parish-by-parish list of sandbag locations.
Emergency response
The New Orleans Police Department has 18 boats and six high-water vehicles on standby, and officers are prepared to switch to 12-hour shifts if needed.
Utilities prepare for weather
Entergy said it’s closely monitoring the disturbance and is ready to respond to any outages with crews, materials and other resources in place.
“As we begin to put our plans into place, we are urging our customers to take the potential of severe weather seriously and stay prepared,” said Shelton Hudson, vice president of reliability for Entergy in Louisiana. “Now is not the time to let your guard down – please take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of your family and your home.”
The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) will lower canal levels to increase stormwater storage and has increased staffing to improve storm response. With 86 of 93 pumps operational, the drainage system is prepared for heavy rainfall, though intense storms exceeding capacity may still cause street flooding. Backup generators have completed load testing.
Residents can monitor real-time pumping and power status on SWBNO’s online dashboard. Residents can report leaks or weather-related emergencies by calling 504-52-WATER.
Garbage and recycling pickup will go on as usual, but residents should secure their bins to keep them from being blown away or flooded. Collections could be suspended if conditions worsen.
City services
City buildings, including the Municipal and Traffic Court of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish Assessor's Office, were closed Thursday. However, city services will still be available online.
Transportation
The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is monitoring the situation and will adjust service as needed. It plans to notify riders of any changes through the Le Pass app, RTA website, and field supervisors. Riders are being told to plan for possible delays through Sunday.
Passengers flying in and out of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) will get flight updates directly from airlines.
For real-time alerts, New Orleans residents can sign up for NOLA Ready by texting NOLAREADY to 77295, use Streetwise to view the city’s real-time flood monitoring tool, or download the NOLA Ready app for emergency resources.
This story is developing.
