Tropical storm warnings issued for gulf coast
Areas along the gulf coast could get up to 20 inches of rain from a system that could blow into tropical storm strength, leading Louisiana’s governor to declare a state of emergency Thursday because of the threat of serious flash flooding.
Tropical storm warnings are out for the Gulf coast from Mississippi to Texas. The National Hurricane Center said the system that is now a depression in the Gulf of Mexico will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday and as much as 20 inches in some spots.
In the Atlantic, Katia weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm, though forecasters say it will again grow stronger. It was about 930 miles east of the Leeward Islands and moving west near 18 mph with maximum sustained winds Thursday evening near 70 mph, a 5 mph decrease. It could become a major hurricane this weekend.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said it’s too early to tell if Katia will hit the U.S. It is expected to pass north of the Caribbean.