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Tropical Storm Barry is intensifying in the northern Gulf and the threat of widespread flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi looms in 48 to 72 hours.
Ryan Truchelut, WeatherTiger

Tropical Storm Barry, which was moving slowly, crawled around noon Saturday to the west of New Orleans, threatening floods along the Gulf Coast to the 39th. Alabama, the strongest rain hitting an area around New Orleans. , Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Barry is expected to drop 10 to 20 inches of rain over south-central and southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi. Some areas face a speed of 2 to 3 inches at the hour and can reach 20 to 25 inches.

Nearly 50,000 people were without electricity as the tropical storm approached the south-central coast of Louisiana. Nearly a quarter of these breakdowns took place in the Terrebonne coastal parish. A number of other southern parishes have been affected, including Jefferson Parish outside of New Orleans.

The threat to New Orleans fell late Friday, as officials said the critical lift system would only pound Carrollton's critical gauge by 17 feet on Monday, about three feet lower than previous forecasts and two feet under the height of the lift.

Governor John Bel Edwards assured residents that the dikes were "stronger than they have ever been" and that the state was better prepared than ever.

Residents of Big Easy were invited to "Refuge on the spot" instead of evacuation orders, which are normally issued only for Category 3 hurricanes.

For the first time since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city 14 years ago, the governor said all the gates had been sealed in the hurricane risk reduction system. The city did not offer sandbags, although some companies have made them available.

Barry is expected to land Saturday at midday to become the first hurricane of the season near Morgan City, 140 km west of New Orleans, with winds of at least 120 km / h. A hurricane warning was in effect along the coast of Louisiana, from Intracoastal City to Grand Isle.

On Saturday, at 7 am, CST, Barry was 50 miles southwest of Morgan City, traveling at 5 mph with sustained maximum winds approaching 70 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

"The slow movement of Barry will result in abundant long-term rains and a threat of flooding along the central Gulf Coast, parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley and north into the Tennessee Valley to the north. early next week, "said John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist at NHC. "Sudden floods and river floods will become increasingly likely, with some potentially life threatening, particularly in parts of southeastern Louisiana to Mississippi."

Some 14 trillion gallons of rain is expected to fall on Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas over Barry, according to an estimate of Ryan Maue, meteorologist at BAM Weather.

Governors declared emergency situations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Watch live: Webcams show Barry's landing in New Orleans and on the Louisiana coast

The map shows accumulated precipitation forecasts and fall gauge levels for the weather-affected area in Louisiana; (Photo: p.holm, AP)

Water levels have already begun to rise along the southern and southeastern coasts of Louisiana, parts of Lake Pontchartrain and parts of the Mississippi coast where a storm warning is in progress .

In the last three years, floods in the land have been responsible for 83% of deaths in tropical cyclones, half of them by vehicles, according to the agency.

It's a lot of rain: How will Barry compare to the 2016 flood in Louisiana?

Workers climb the windows of the French Quarter Friday, July 12, 2019 in New Orleans, in front of Tropical Storm Barry. The National Weather Service in New Orleans said the water was already beginning to overwrite some low roads as tropical storm Barry was approaching the Gulf State of Mexico. (AP Photo / David J. Phillip) (Photo: David J. Phillip, AP)

Rescue teams and approximately 3,000 National Guard soldiers were deployed around Louisiana with boats, vehicles and helicopters. President Donald Trump has declared a federal emergency for Louisiana, allowing federal agencies to coordinate relief operations.

Contribute: Doyle Rice, Leigh Guidry, USA TODAY & # 39; HUI; Nick Siano, daily announcer Lafayette; Associated press

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT

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