Heavy rainfall and extremely dangerous and catastrophic flash flooding continues across South Louisiana and parts of Southwest Mississippi this morning.
However,the threat for the most part has shifted to Louisiana.
Overnight and this morning
As was expected, the heavy rainfall persisted overnight and this morning producing rainfall accumulations of 15 – 20+ inches on top of yesterday’s accumulations. This has caused dangerous flash flooding that has led to evacuations, water rescues, road closures – including interstate closures, and the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses. The governor of Louisiana has issued a statewide state of emergency.
Overall some places have revived rainfall accumulations as high as 40″ since yesterday. Meanwhile, rainfall accumulations in Southwest Mississippi were only between 2 – 4″ overnight.
Forecast for Today and Tomorrow
Additional rainfall accumulations of 8 – 10″ with locally higher accumulations of 10 – 15″ are expected today across South Louisiana with accumulations of 1 – 3″ across Southwest Mississippi. This will cause more life threatening flash flooding – especially across South Louisiana.
The heavy rainfall and flash flood threat will also continue tomorrow across South Louisiana as additional rainfall accumulations of 4 – 8″ are expected. However, the threat will shift out of Mississippi where things will finally begin to dry out for the most part.
As a result, flash flood watches are in effect through the remainder of today across Southwest Mississippi and through tomorrow across South Louisiana.
Things should then begin to dry out across South Louisiana Sunday night or Monday as the system causing all of this finally lifts out of the Gulf Coast region.
However, extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic river flooding will unfold across parts of Louisiana this weekend through early next week even after this system moves out. Some rivers are forecast to crest at record levels.
Evacuations and Shelters
Evacuations have been issued across South Louisiana in anticipation additional flooding over the next several days; and Red Cross shelters have been opened for evacuees. You can find a list of these shelters here on the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Facebook page.
If you do heave to evacuate remember to follow these safety tips from the National Weather Service.
We will have another update out tonight on our Facebook page.
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