Coastal Louisiana braces for incoming storm

Wind and rain from Tropical Storm Barry began moving into Louisiana on Friday, as a hurricane warning was in effect along the state’s coastline. Forecasters predict the storm could make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane by early Saturday. President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for Louisiana on Thursday night, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts. The slow-moving storm is expected to bring more than a foot and a half of rain to parts of the state. “There are three ways that Louisiana can flood: storm surge, high rivers, and rain,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “We’re going to have all three.”

National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham called it a “dangerous situation,” as pockets of the state could receive as much as 25 inches of rain, potentially causing flash floods. Many residents of Louisiana’s low-lying southeastern tip had evacuated by Thursday afternoon.

By late morning Friday, Barry was about 100 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, with sustained winds of 65 mph, just 9 mph below hurricane strength, and moving west-northwest at 5 mph. Tracking forecasts showed the Mississippi Delta west of New Orleans could bear the brunt of the storm.