Hurricane warnings are now in effect for much of the south-central Louisiana coast as Tropical Storm Barry puts the Bayou State in it’s bullseye. The storm is expected to make landfall Saturday morning as a Category One hurricane. Louisiana National Guard Major General Glenn Curtis says three-thousand of their soldiers have been deployed in response.
State Climatologist Barry Keim says says tropical storm conditions will begin Friday night and take a noticeable turn for the worse Saturday morning along the coast, and that afternoon in the Baton Rouge area.
Storm surge levels are estimated at between three to six feet at the mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Shell Beach in Cameron Parish, and 15 to 20 inches of rain could fall across some portions of the state.
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Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the low-lying areas of Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes. A voluntary evacuation has been called for areas south of Leon Theriot Lock in Golden Meadow and Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish. Lafourche Sheriff’s office spokesperson Brennan Matherne says they are anticipating strong winds and heavy rainfall in Lafourche and residents there are taking this storm seriously…
The United Cajun Navy has been activated in anticipation of Barry’s Saturday landfall. Founder Todd Terrell says many of the Louisiana based members are scrambling to protect their own homes, so in a twist, it’s Cajun Navy members from outside of Louisiana coming here to help…
The organization has built a nationwide volunteer base after operations in other disaster zones over the past three years. They’ll be staging for water rescues at L’Auberge Casino.