Louisiana eyes storm advancing toward Gulf

A tropical storm warning has been issued for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama as a potential tropical cyclone advanced toward the northern Gulf Coast. The warning extends from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border.

National Forecasters says heavy rainfall and flooding will likely be the most significant hazard, with the storm reaching the coast beginning on Friday. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards mentioned the looming storm during a news conference where he announced Louisiana parishes still recovering from two hurricanes that struck last year are now in line to get more than 176 million dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He says all of south Louisiana will be impacted and some places could receive eight inches of rain. As of Thursday evening, the storm was located about 475 miles south of Morgan City, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph. Meteorologists expect the 2021 season to be busy, but not as crazy as the record-breaking 2020 season.