Weather Alert Warns City About 10 Inches of Rainfall

A rain storm passes over the oak trees in Audubon Park, March 17, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Monroe, Louisiana, could receive up to 10 inches of rain before a storm exits the region on Thursday.

A moisture-laden spring storm is bringing torrential rain to several Gulf Coast states, and one city could receive as much as 10 inches of rainfall before the storm moves out of the area.

The rain began on Monday, and more storms will begin to move through the area by Wednesday morning, bringing heavy rain and severe weather, including widespread and strong tornadoes. Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida are at the highest risk, and a flood watch and flood warning have been issued for some parts of southern Arkansas ahead of the storms.

In Louisiana, several inches of rain have already fallen, and more is on the way.

“Severe weather remains possible through the day today and into Wednesday,” the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Shreveport, Louisiana, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday morning.

“In addition, heavy rainfall is expected to continue through Wednesday bringing an increased threat for Flash Flooding. Widespread 3-6″ with scattered 6-8″ of additional rainfall is expected,” the tweet said.

The NWS office also shared a map of potential rainfall totals before the storm exits the region on Thursday. The highest rainfall is expected in Monroe, Louisiana, which could receive 8 to 10 inches of rain. Homer, El Dorado and Jonesboro also had high totals, ranging from 6 to 8 inches. Shreveport was expecting 4 to 6 inches of rain from the storm.

NWS meteorologist Armani Cassel told Newsweek that the storm was producing multiple rounds of rainfall. He said the storm was a multi-hazard event that is bringing a variety of severe weather threats to the region, including damaging winds, possible tornadoes and hail.

Flooding also is a concern, and the NWS has issued a flood watch for eight states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Flood warnings have been issued across several states.

The NWS office in Shreveport issued a flood warning for some areas on Tuesday afternoon.

“Urban areas and small streams flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues,” the office said.

Northeast Texas, which is within the Shreveport forecast region, was at the highest risk for floods, including Cass, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Panola, Rusk and Smith counties.

“Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring,” the warning said. “Streams continue to rise due to excess runoff from earlier rainfall. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable.”

Despite the excessive rain, Cassel said, the heavy rain is expected around this time of year for the region.

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