30,000 are without power in Louisiana
Flooding still a concern as Barry slogs north
Tropical Storm Barry continued to lose strength Sunday as it moved through western Louisiana, though officials were still warning of dangerous storm-related conditions and tens of thousands remained without power.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were at 40 mph as of Sunday afternoon. Barry was expected to move over the western portion of central and northern Louisiana throughout the day, and across Arkansas overnight and into Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
By Sunday afternoon, the center was east to southeast of Shreveport. A tropical storm warning was effect from Morgan City to Cameron.
“Even though Barry is weakening, the threat of heavy rains and the potential for flooding continues from Louisiana northward through the Lower Mississippi Valley,” the hurricane center said.
Three inches of rain fell in the predawn hours in Jackson, Mississippi, leading to fears of flooding.
More than 30,000 Louisiana customers were without power as of Sunday morning, according to The (Lafayette, La.) Daily Advertiser’s interactive power outages map.
Dangerous flooding was still a concern.
“Barry is expected to produce total rain accumulations of six to 12 inches over south-central Louisiana, with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches,” the hurricane center said. “Across the remainder of the Lower Mississippi Valley, total rain accumulations of four to 8 inches are expected, with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches. This rainfall is expected to lead to dangerous, lifethreatening flooding.”
New Orleans’ levees held. The lower Mississippi River was opened to shipping Sunday morning, the Port of New Orleans said. Cruise ship arrivals and departures were expected to stay on schedule.
Barry, the first hurricane of the season, made landfall Saturday as a Category 1 storm near Intracoastal City, Louisiana, about 150 miles west of New Orleans.
The storm entered the coast with sustained winds of up to 75 mph, though it weakened into a tropical storm shortly after that.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warned people to not “let their guard down,” despite Barry’s weakened state.
“My concern is people are going to bed thinking the worst is behind us and that may not be the case,” he said. “It’s going to be a long few days and there are going to be some significant challenges.”