Tri-City area included in tropical storm warning

The Tri-City area is included in a tropical storm warning that covers nearly the entire Louisiana coast as officials say potential Tropical Storm No. 3 has the potential to become a tropical storm before its projected landfall early Thursday.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Three is expected to become a tropical storm at any time, Erickson said in a Tuesday afternoon email. However, the main weather hazard for this event will be heavy rains and flooding, he said. Three to five inches of rain is expected, with locally higher amounts of 10 inches possible in the stronger rain-bands.

Due to the tides running above normal, the rain water will have a difficult time to drain out of the region. Street flooding is expected, and some homes may be vulnerable as well.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Cameron to the mouth of the Pearl River, Erickson said Tuesday morning.

The most likely time of arrival of tropical storm force winds is Wednesday morning for St. Mary, Iberia, and St. Martin Parishes, Wednesday afternoon for Cameron, Vermilion, Acadia, and Lafayette Parishes and Wednesday evening for the remainder of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas, Erickson said.

Along the coast, high tides around midnight Tuesday and noon Wednesday will bring the threat of water across roads and property in and around Sabine Pass, Highway 82 west and east of Holly Beach, downtown Cameron, Pecan Island, Intracoastal City, Delcambre, Cypremort Point, and Burns Point.

Winds will become gusty tomorrow and continue into the night, especially along and south of the I-10 corridor. Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph are possible. This could cause scattered power outages, fallen trees, and minor property damage.

In addition, there is a low risk for tornadoes. Later today into tonight, lower Acadiana is at risk from the tornadoes. The tornado risk will expand to the I-10 corridor to the coast for all of southwest and south central Louisiana on Wednesday.

As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the forecast track had moved a little further to the west, with a landfall projection near the Texas-Louisiana state line early Thursday, Erickson said.

The primary weather hazard with this system will be heavy rains with 3-5 inches of rain expected across much of the region, with locally higher amounts of 10 inches possible in the stronger rain-bands, especially Wednesday and Thursday, Erickson said.

Tides will run one to two feet above normal, which will hamper drainage for coastal parishes. During high tides, water will be over the roads between Sabine Pass and Port Arthur, Texas, La. 82 in Cameron Parish both east and west of Holly Beach, downtown Cameron, Pecan Island, Intracoastal City, Delcambre, Cypremort Point and Burns Point.

There will also be a small threat Tuesday for tornadoes in lower Acadiana, Wednesday from Lake Charles to Lafayette, south to the coast and the entire region on Thursday, Erickson said.

Winds will be gusting in the 40-55 mph range, especially near coastal regions, Wednesday into early Thursday, he said.