NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Mitch Landrieu has postponed his State of the City address again because of tropical weather that’s approaching the Louisiana coast.
Landrieu was initially set to give his annual speech Wednesday, June 14, but he postponed it after House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot while practicing for the Congressional Baseball Game.
The speech was reset for Wednesday, June 21, but because of the heavy rains and flash flooding that’s expected, he has postponed it again.
Landrieu said Tuesday morning that anywhere from three to 12 inches of rain is expected, with the heaviest downpours coming Wednesday and Thursday.
“That’s a very big gap,” he said.
The system approaching the Gulf Coast has not been named, but if it strengthens it will become Tropical Storm Cindy.
Landrieu cautioned New Orleans residents to be aware of low-lying areas that are more prone to flooding. Stay away from those areas if at all possible, he said.
“You know where the dangers are,” he said.
He also urged residents to clean out their storm drains and ditches to help the flood waters drain as quickly as possible. Secure any loose furniture outside and anything else that could be picked up during high winds. Click here for more emergency preparedness information from the city.
As of Tuesday morning, the cone of the tropical system is heading west of New Orleans to the Acadiana area, but National Weather Service meteorologists warn that the impacts of the storm will be felt hundreds of miles on both sides of the cone.
NWS Meteorologist Ken Graham also stressed that any shift in the storm’s path — even if it’s just 20 or 30 miles — will drastically change the impacts the storm will have in the greater New Orleans area.
Click here for information on sandbags, and click here for the latest from WGNO’s weather center.
Here’s a Tuesday morning weather update from Chief Meteorologist Hank Allen: