Gulf states brace for flooding and up to 2 feet of rainfall as Tropical Storm Barry forms off coast 

Residents along the Gulf Coast are bracing for damaging storm surge and up to two feet of rainfall from a tropical storm that is expected to form this week. 

A disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has a 90 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical storm by Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Tropical Storm Barry may even develop into a hurricane by the end of the week with landfall expected over the weekend, officials said Wednesday. 

According to The Weather Channel, landfall may occur between early morning on  Saturday to the afternoon or evening. 

The NHC said an area of low pressure in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico has produced disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

According to the center, the system will likely develop into a tropical depression later in the day or on Thursday, with an increasing chance of producing storm surge and intense winds across parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

  

Residents along the Gulf Coast are bracing for damaging storm surge and up to two feet of rainfall from a tropical storm (predictions for storm shown) that is expected to form this week

A disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has a 90 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical storm by Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Flash flooding is predicted for the Gulf states through Thursday

A disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has a 90 percent chance of strengthening into a tropical storm by Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Flash flooding is predicted for the Gulf states through Thursday 

‘Environmental and ocean conditions are forecast to be conducive for development and a tropical depression is likely to form by the end of the week,’ the NHC said.  

On Wednesday morning, the NHC tweeted that ‘storm surge and wind watches could be issued later today’. 

The hurricane center also said the system has the potential to produce very heavy rainfall from Texas to the Florida Panhandle. 

Meteorologists said that Louisiana should prepare for a category 1 hurricane with heavy rain, coastal flooding and potential power outages from strong winds. 

New Orleans was already flooding Wednesday morning, prompting weather officials to issue a flash flood warning for the city. 

Tropical Storm Barry could push the already swollen Mississippi River precariously close to the tops of levees that protect New Orleans.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said New Orleans is protected to a river level of 20 feet, but it was forecast to rise above flood stage to 19 feet by Friday. 

Forecasters say parts of Louisiana could see up to 12 inches of rain by Monday, with heavier amounts possible in some spots. 

‘There could be a considerable amount of overtopping of Mississippi River levees in Plaquemines Parish on both the east bank and the west bank,’ Louisiana Gov John Bel Edwards said at a Wednesday news conference. 

The parish is just southeast of New Orleans and includes many of the city’s suburbs.

But it’s not just New Orleans that’s at risk, the governor said. National Guard troops and high-water vehicles will be positioned all over the state, he said.

‘The entire coast of Louisiana is at play in this storm, and we’re talking about as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain over a 24-hour period that will start Friday so that is a short time period for such intense rain,’ Edwards said.

The governor said he would declare a statewide emergency later Wednesday.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that City Hall was closed. ‘Non-essential’ were given the day off.

Flooding forced streetcars and buses to temporarily stop travel Wednesday morning until the water receded. 

Though much of the heaviest rain isn’t expected until the weekend, the broad area of disturbed weather in the Gulf was already producing strong thunderstorms over Louisiana on Wednesday.

Those storms prompted tornado and flash flood warnings Wednesday morning in the New Orleans area. 

The weather service said up to 3 inches of rain had fallen in the area.

A tornado warning was also issued early Wednesday. Residents were able to capture video of the tornado touching down in the Gentilly area, near the University of New Orleans Campus.

As of early Wednesday, the system was located about 100 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida.

New Orleans was already flooding Wednesday morning, prompting weather officials to issue a flash flood warning for the city. Tropical Storm Barry could push the already swollen Mississippi River precariously close to the tops of levees that protect New Orleans (above)

New Orleans was already flooding Wednesday morning, prompting weather officials to issue a flash flood warning for the city. Tropical Storm Barry could push the already swollen Mississippi River precariously close to the tops of levees that protect New Orleans (above)

Forecasters say parts of Louisiana could see up to 12 inches of rain by Monday, with heavier amounts possible in some spots

Forecasters say parts of Louisiana could see up to 12 inches of rain by Monday, with heavier amounts possible in some spots

Much of the heaviest rain isn't expected until the weekend, but the broad area of disturbed weather in the Gulf produced strong thunderstorms over Louisiana on Wednesday

Much of the heaviest rain isn’t expected until the weekend, but the broad area of disturbed weather in the Gulf produced strong thunderstorms over Louisiana on Wednesday

To help its residents prepare for the rain, the city of Tallahassee has opened four sandbag distribution centers.

On Monday, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis urged Floridians to be prepared.

He says residents in north and central Florida should be ready for heavy rain and the potential for flooding in low-lying areas.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp has joined major US oil producers shutting production and withdrawing staff from offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of the storm.

US oil prices climbed 2.7 per cent on Wednesday as more producers shut production and removed workers at Gulf oil and gas platforms. 

Anadarko said it is stopping all oil and gas production and removing all workers from four central Gulf facilities, the Constitution, Heidelberg, Holstein and Marco Polo platforms. 

It is also evacuating non-essential staff from its eastern Gulf platforms.

Andarko’s total Gulf output averaged 166,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in the first quarter.

A tornado warning was also issued early Wednesday. Residents were able to capture video of the tornado (pictured) touching down in the Gentilly area, near the University of New Orleans Campus

A tornado warning was also issued early Wednesday. Residents were able to capture video of the tornado (pictured) touching down in the Gentilly area, near the University of New Orleans Campus

Operations at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, the only US port where the largest crude tankers can operate, were normal on Wednesday morning, a spokeswoman said.

Motiva Enterprises’ 607,000 barrel per day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, the nation’s largest, was monitoring the developing storm on Monday and preparing to implement its hurricane plan as needed, the company said in a statement.

The Motiva refinery was one of four refineries in east Texas inundated by more than five feet of rain in a single day during 2017’s Hurricane Harvey.

Marathon Petroleum Corp, the largest US refiner, was also monitoring the storm, which is forecast to come ashore in Louisiana, where the company operates the 564,000 bpd Garyville refinery, spokesman Sid Barth said.

Chevron Corp, Phillips 66, Exxon Mobil Corp , Royal Dutch Shell Plc were preparing for heavy rain and wind at refineries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Chevron has now shut in production at five Gulf platforms – Big Foot, Blind Faith, Genesis, Petronius and Tahiti – and has begun to evacuate all workers at those facilities, spokeswoman Veronica Flores-Paniagua said.

Its Gulf oil output last year averaged 186,000 barrels per day.

Chevron is preparing its onshore facilities for a potential response, Flores-Paniagua said.

BP, the second-largest producer in the Gulf, is shutting all production at its four Gulf platforms – the Thunder Horse, Atlantis, Mad Dog and Na Kika – which produces more than 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Shell and BHP Group Ltd were also removing staff from six other offshore energy platforms, according to company statements. Exxon Mobil Corp was ‘closely monitoring’ the weather disturbance to determine whether its facilities may be affected, a spokeswoman said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program have urged people on the Gulf and East coasts to act now to prepare for hurricane season and buy flood insurance.

They sent news releases to coastal cities on Tuesday.  

The statements from the flood insurance program and FEMA note that an inch of water in an average home can require $25,000 in repairs, and that flood insurance policies need 30 days to take effect.

The agencies recommend other measures including an evacuation plan and an emergency kit with at least three days’ supplies.

Hurricane season runs through November.

More information is available at www.floodsmart.gov.

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