The 1PM advisory from the National Hurricane Center indicates Tropical Storm Barry continues to creep closer toward Morgan City at a rate of 5 miles per hour. The advisory shows the storm to be 100 miles south-southeast of Morgan City. Maximum sustained winds are at 65 miles per hour.

Barry appears set to slam into south-central Louisiana and inundate the region with incredible levels of rainfall. Matt Doyle has more.

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle”

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana residents need to be ready for a major rain event as Tropical Storm Barry approaches Louisiana’s coastline. Edwards says the National Hurricane Center predicts 10 to 20 inches over south-central and southeast Louisiana, with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches

Cut 6 (14) “…to drain”

Edwards expects Barry will produce numerous power outages mainly caused by trees falling on power lines

Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Barry is expected to close numerous roads, especially south of Interstate 10. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says check 5-1-1-la-dot-org for road closures

Cut 9 (08) “…across the state”

Mallett says the slogan he likes to use during heavy rainfall events, don’t drown, turn around, which means don’t drive through high water.

Hello Affiliates,

Look for a special Saturday morning newscall. It will come down at around 4 AM on Saturday and you can find the cuts in the Newscall folder, look for AM newscall.

Take care.

Jeff Palermo

Tropical storm conditions are spreading across portions of southeast Louisiana as Barry is now 100 miles south-southeast of Morgan City and moving five miles per hour. Barry is expected to reach hurricane strength before making landfall near St. Mary Parish. But State Climatologist Barry Keim says the main threat remains heavy rainfall..
cut 5 (09) “….storm”
10 to 20 inches of rain is expected to fall over south-central and southeast Louisiana with a maximum total of 25 inches. Governor Edwards is anticipating search and rescue missions…
cut 8 (14) “….staging areas”

President Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Louisiana which allows the state to receive supplementary federal resources. Baton Rouge Congressman Garret Graves says there are open lines of communication between the Bayou State and D-C and says the feds are keeping a finger on the pulse of the situation…
cut 16 (06) “….the President’s radar”
Law enforcement from north Louisiana is helping their counterparts in south Louisiana. Caddo and Bossier Parish deputies left from Shreveport this morning. Caddo Sheriff’s captain Bobby Herring says deputies that remain in their jurisdiction will likely also remain very busy with concerns from the storm…
cut 13 (09) “….could be dangerous”
Barry is not expected to move quickly once it makes landfall on Saturday morning.

Tropical Storm Barry has picked up strength, and is now projected to be a category one hurricane when it makes landfall near Morgan City around seven in the morning on Saturday. State Climatologist Barry Keim says there’s still some uncertainty, but forecasters are increasingly confident about the system’s track.

Cut 3 (11) “…Louisiana”

Keim says the slow moving storm could still be in central Louisiana by late Saturday night.

10-20 inches of rainfall from Tropical Storm Barry is expected to close numerous roads, especially south of Interstate 10. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says during heavy rainfall, don’t drown, turn around…

Cut 10 (08) “…let’s just be safe.”

check 5-1-1-la-dot-org for road closures.

Caddo and Bossier Parish deputies are being deployed to south Louisiana as part of the Louisiana Sheriff’s Task Force.  Caddo Sheriff’s spokesperson Bobby Herring.

Cut 12 (11) “…high water trucks.”

Kevin Barnhart checked in with Baton Rouge residents hard at work defending their homes with sandbags…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

The 10AM advisory from the National Hurricane center shows Barry has seen an increase in the maximum sustained winds to 65 miles per hour. Morgan City looks to be at the center of most tracks for the likely Saturday morning landfall.  Heavy rainfall is expected to result in numerous road closures, especially south of Interstate 10, are expected. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says in preparation for this flash flooding event, D-O-T-D crews have been cleaning out ditches

Cut 11 (11) “…our pumps”

President Trump makes a federal declaration of emergency for Louisiana as Tropical Storm Barry approaches.  Congressman Garret Graves says the declaration allows for Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts.

Cut 14 (09) “…for this storm.”

Tropical Storm Barry has picked up strength, and is now projected to be a category one hurricane when it makes landfall near Morgan City around seven in the morning on Saturday. Several feet of storm surge is predicted along the coast, but State Climatologist Barry Keim says the biggest concern is the 10-20 inches of rain that will fall across south Louisiana, particularly on the east side of the track.

Cut 4 (10) “…right now.”

The threat of a major rainfall event similar to the 2016 floods has many grabbing sandbags for their homes and businesses. Jacob from Baton Rouge says he’s seen many neighbors helping neighbors.
Cut 7 (10) “…and not need.”
The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is not expecting the overtopping of levees in the New Orleans area. Storm surge is expected to add another three feet to the historically high Mississippi River.

Tropical Storm Barry has picked up strength, and is now projected to be a category one hurricane when it makes landfall near Morgan City around seven in the morning on Saturday. State Climatologist Barry Keim says there’s still some uncertainty, but forecasters are increasingly confident about the system’s track.

Cut 3, 11 seconds, Louisiana

There’s been debate as to whether or not the system will be a tropical storm or hurricane when it makes landfall, but Keim says either way the amount of rain will be nearly identical.

State officials are preparing to lose a number of roads south of I-10 to flooding from Barry. Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says the slogan he likes to use during heavy rainfall events, don’t drown, turn around…

Cut 10 (08) “…let’s just be safe.”

You can check 5-1-1-L-A-Dot-Org for road closures.

There’s been serious concerns that the Mississippi River, which is already at a high level, could be overtopped when storm surge from Barry hits the mouth of the river, but Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Chip Kline has some good news.

Cut 12 (10) “…overtopped.”

Kevin Barnhart spoke with south Louisiana residents who are armoring their homes with sandbags…

Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart” 

The 10AM advisory from the National Hurricane center shows Barry has seen an increase in the maximum sustained winds to 65 miles per hour. Morgan City looks to be at the center of most tracks for the likely Saturday morning landfall.  Three to six feet of storm surge is expected along the coast along with category one hurricane force winds and heavy rains, but Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi says they’ve drained their drainage canals down to the mud, and all of the city’s pumps have recently been redone, but there may still be street flooding.

Cut 5  (10) “…catch up” 

Numerous road closures, especially south of Interstate 10, are expected. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Rodney Mallett says check 5-1-1-L-A-dot-org for the latest.

Cut 9 (08) “…across the state”

Rainfall is the biggest concern from Barry at his point.  National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Phil Grigsby says the lion’s share of that rain starts today and could possibly continue through Sunday with rainfall totals of 18-24 inches in some places. Grigsby says there are many aspects of this flooding threat that shares parallels with 2016 flooding.

Cut 14 (09) “…east around Hammond.”

The threat of a major rainfall event similar to the 2016 floods has many grabbing sandbags for their homes and businesses. Sandbags are being dispersed in flood-prone areas of the state. Nicole from Baton Rouge says she was flooded in 2016, and is grateful for the opportunity to utilize the bags being distributed by the department of public works.

Cut 8 (13) “…never flooded before.”

Tropical Storm Barry is set to bring rain totals not seen in many places since the 2016 floods, with rainfall totals of 18-24 inches possible in southeast Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards says it’s not a great time for a system like Barry to drop by, considering rivers are already swollen…
Cut 10 (11) “…full.”
National Weather Service Slidell Meteorologist Phil Grigsby says while the rain takes the top billing on the list of concerns, storm surge is a major concern as well…
cut 15 (10) “…in those areas”
Tornadoes could also be an issue for southeast Louisiana today and tonight.

In the face of a rain event that could rival the 2016 floods, south Louisiana residents are armoring their homes and businesses with sandbags…
Cut 2 (32) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”

In other news, a Shreveport teenager was killed while walking on the tracks with a friend. And Ruston Police are looking for the person responsible for a fatal shooting on Martin Luther King Avenue. When officers arrived on Thursday morning, they found 24-year-old Tyrea Davis suffering from a gunshot wound and he died at a local hospital.

Tropical Storm winds are starting to reach coastal areas of Louisiana as Tropical Storm Barry continues to make its slow treck towards a likely landfall in St. Mary Parish tomorrow morning.

Governor John Bel Edwards says Louisiana faces a triple threat from Barry. Matt Doyle has more…
voicer 3 (30) “….Matt Doyle”

Three-thousand Louisiana National Guard soldiers have been mobilized and President Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Louisiana which allows the state to receive supplementary federal resources.

Rainfall is the biggest concern from Barry at this point. National Weather Service Slidell meteorologist Phil Grigsby says the lion’s share of that rain starts today and could possibly continue through Sunday.
Cut 13 (10) “…in that area.”
Barry is expected to make landfall near Morgan City tomorrow morning as a strong tropical storm. A storm surge warning is in effect for Intracoastal city to Shell Beach in St. Bernard Parish, as a three to six feet storm surge is expected in that area. Morgan City Mayor Boo Grizzaffi is confident the city is not in any danger of taking on water from a coastal storm surge.
Cut 6 (12) “…to go.
Also, there is a possibility of a few tornadoes today and tonight across southeast Louisiana.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Intracoastal City to Grand Isle as Tropical Storm Barry continues to move slowly, west-northwest at five miles per hour. At 7 AM, the center of Barry was located 95-miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Governor John Bel Edwards says Barry has the potential to threaten areas that were hit with historical flooding three years ago by dumping nearly two feet of rainwater this weekend and swelling waterways…
cut 11 (07) “…Louisiana”
The threat of a major rainfall event similar to the 2016 floods has many grabbing sandbags for their homes and businesses. Jacob from Baton Rouge says he’s seen many neighbors helping neighbors.
Cut 7 (10) “…and not need.”

Barry is projected to make landfall near Morgan City as a strong tropical storm or Category one hurricane tomorrow morning, but Mayor Boo Grizzaffi believes they’ll be fine. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Matt Doyle.”

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers is not expecting the overtopping of levees in the New Orleans area. Storm surge is expected to add another three feet to the historically high Mississippi River, pushing it to 19 feet above sea level at the Carrollton Gauge in New Orleans. But that is a foot lower than an earlier forecast.