Laura has become a hurricane and is expected to make landfall as at least a Category 3.
Listen to local officials, get prepared, and go to getagameplan.org for more information. A Storm Surge Warning and Hurricane Warning are in effect for Lower Jefferson, Lower Lafourche, Lower Plaquemines, Lower Saint Bernard, and Lower Terrebonne parishes.
A Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch are in effect for Ascension and Saint James parishes. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Assumption, Upper Lafourche, and Upper Terrebonne parishes. STORM INFORMATION: About 270 miles southeast of New Orleans, Louisiana, or about 260 miles south-southeast of Gulfport, Mississippi, or about 270 miles southeast of Houma, Louisiana. Storm Intensity: 70 mph Movement North-northwest or 345 degrees at 12 mph Tropical Storm Marco will continue to approach the coast of Southeast Louisiana tonight. Marco is expected to turn west and move parallel to the Louisiana coast tomorrow as a strong tropical storm and then gradually weaken tomorrow night as it moves toward Southwest Louisiana. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS EVACUATIONS: Listen to local official for recommended preparedness actions, including possible evacuation. If ordered to evacuate, do so immediately. If evacuating, leave with a destination in mind and allow extra time to get there. Take your emergency supplies kit. Gas up your vehicle ahead of time. Let others know where you are going prior to departure. Secure loose items and pets in the car, and avoid distracted driving. If evacuating, follow designated evacuation routes. Seek traffic information on roadway signs, the radio, and from official sources. OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: If you are relocating to safe shelter, leave as early as possible. Allow extra time to reach your destination. Many roads and bridges will be closed once strong winds arrive. Check the latest weather forecast before departing and drive with caution. If heading to a community shelter, become familiar with the shelter rules before arrival, especially if you have special needs or have pets. Take essential items with you from your Emergency Supplies Kit. Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of life. Always heed the advice of local officials and comply with any orders that are issued. Remember, during the storm 9 1 1 Emergency Services may not be able to immediately respond if conditions are unsafe. This should be a big factor in your decision making. Keep cell phones well charged. Cell phone chargers for automobiles can be helpful, but be aware of your risk for deadly carbon monoxide poisoning if your car is left idling in a garage or other poorly ventilated area. Storm surge is the leading killer associated with tropical storms and hurricanes! Make sure you are in a safe area away from the surge zone. Even if you are not in a surge-prone area, you could find yourself cutoff by flood waters during and after the storm. Heed evacuation orders issued by the local authorities. Rapidly rising flood waters are deadly. If you are in a flood-prone area, consider moving to higher ground. Never drive through a flooded roadway. Remember, turn around don`t drown! If a Tornado Warning is issued for your area, be ready to shelter quickly, preferably away from windows and in an interior room not prone to flooding. If driving, scan the roadside for quick shelter options. If in a place that is vulnerable to high wind, such as near large trees, a manufactured home, upper floors of a high-rise building, or on a boat, consider moving to a safer shelter before the onset of strong winds or flooding. Closely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather radio or local news outlets for official storm information. Be ready to adapt to possible changes to the forecast. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings. ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION For information on appropriate preparation, visit: ready.gov For information on creating an emergency plan, visit: getagameplan.org For additional disaster preparedness information, visit: redcross.org A HURRICANE WARNING is in effect for Southeast Louisiana for dangerous and damaging winds.
This warning is issued up to 36 hours before hazardous conditions are expected to begin. Please complete efforts to protect life and property. Have food, water, fuel, cash and medications for each person in your household for at least three days. Click HERE to view the official alert from the National Weather Service. Sandbag distribution will begin at 7:00 AM on Sunday, August 23rd, and will remain open until 4:30 PM. The limit is 25 sandbags per vehicle. Sandbags can be found in the following locations: Lockport Field Office
Raceland Agriculture Center
Lafourche Fire District #3
Oak Ridge Community Park
Thibodaux Field Office
Bayou Blue Recreation Grounds
Choctaw Field Office
Bayou Bouef Bridge on Highway 307
Chackbay Fairgrounds on Highway 304
Bridge Road at the intersection with Bayou Road
KC Home
End of Fairway Drive in the Country Club
End of Manchester Manor
From the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness:
The tracks for Marco and Laura have shifted and both are expected to impact Louisiana. Monitor your local news tonight. Gov. John Bel Edwards on Friday declared a state of emergency in advance of potential landfall from Tropical Depression 14, expected to become Tropical Storm Marco, and Tropical Storm Laura, both of which could impact Louisiana in the coming week.
“Louisiana is in a unique situation in that it is in the cone of two storms, which could impact different areas of the state in the coming days. It is too soon to know exactly where, when or how these dual storms will affect Louisiana, but now is the time for our people to prepare for these storms,” Gov. Edwards said. “This evening I declared a state of emergency, which will allow the state to assist local governments as they begin their preparations.” “It should not be lost on any Louisianan that in addition to twin tropical weather threats, we still have to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gov. Edwards added. “It is critical that you include relevant supplies, including face masks and hand sanitizer, in your emergency kits. COVID-19 does not become less of a threat because of tropical weather.”
Gov. Edwards held a Unified Command Group meeting and received a briefing from the National Weather Service this afternoon. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is monitoring these storms and the state’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated since March to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. People should check their emergency supplies and remember to include any items needed to sustain each family member for at least three days. Supply kits should include:
The Governor’s office will share updates about potential severe weather and COVID-19 through its texting system. People may opt-in by texting LAGOV to 67283 and sign up for phone calls by going to Smart911. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH is in effect for Southeast Louisiana -- including Northern Lafourche Parish -- until 7:00 PM.
Additional periods of locally heavy rainfall are expected through this late afternoon. In some areas, this heavy rain will occur in areas that have either saturated soils or standing water. Do not enter or cross flowing water or water of unknown depth. Click HERE to view the official alert from the National Weather Service.
At 6:59 AM, a strong thunderstorm was located near Houma, moving northeast at 15 mph. Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with this storm. This storm had a tornado warning on it earlier but the rotation has weakened some, however, the National Weather Service is closely watching it to see if a new tornado warning will be needed.
Locations impacted in the North Lafourche area include Choctaw, Chackbay, and Bayou Boeuf. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio and television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service in New Orleans has issued a SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for Lafourche Parish, which includes the Choctaw, Bayou Boeuf and Chackbay areas. The warning is in effect until 10:00 PM.
At 9:15 PM, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Saint Rose to near Hahnville, moving southwest at 25 mph. Severe weather may include 40 mph wind gusts. Residents should expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. These are potentially deadly storms. Seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built structure. Abandon vehicles in search of a more substantial permanent structure. Stay away from windows. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. A strong line of severe thunderstorms recently passed over our area, and many residents in our community are without power.
Entergy is aware of the outage, and restoration may take several hours. We realize that many of our residents have home telephone service through a broadband provider like Spectrum or Vonage, and we want you to be aware that during a power outage, many of these services will not function. If you are affected by this power outage and you have home phone service through Spectrum or Vonage, please use a mobile phone to call 911 in the event you need any type of emergency assistance. Please be prepared to give the 911 operator detailed information about your location in order to assist emergency personnel with locating your residence. If you have any elderly neighbors that are affected by the power outage and you know that they have phone service through a broadband provider like Spectrum or Vonage, please be a kind neighbor and check on them from time to time. |