Newest Updates: Extreme Climate Bringing Twister Menace and Flooding to Gulf Coast

Waves of intense climate have been shifting east throughout the South on Wednesday, bringing flash flooding and tornadoes to the New Orleans space, the place a flash flood emergency was declared, and different elements of the central Gulf Coast, the Nationwide Climate Service mentioned.

Greater than a dozen flash flood warnings have been issued early within the day, together with one for New Orleans the place many roads in and across the metropolis have been below water and impassable, forecasters mentioned. Officers closed some roads in southeastern Louisiana due to the heavy rain.

There’s additionally a considerable threat of tornadoes within the space, and a few of these might be robust. The primary twister warnings have been issued, together with one for the areas close to Gulfport, Miss., that included greater than 121,000 folks. Forecasters warned that greater than seven million folks throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama might expertise excessive climate by means of the day.

The climate within the area started to deteriorate earlier than daybreak. The Climate Service issued greater than a dozen twister warnings and watches that coated cities from Texas to Mississippi. One of many extra vital bulletins was a twister watch issued for the southeastern portion of Louisiana and lengthening north to Columbus, Miss., till the early afternoon.