[StBernard] WWL.com Weather Alert: Flood watches up for most of metro area

[Westley Annis]

Forecasters are calling for rainy and windy conditions to move into the 
metro area early Wednesday morning, with 2-3 inches of rain and gusty 
winds expected.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch, a coastal 
flood watch and a wind advisory for most of the metro area effective for 
the daylight hours Wednesday. It's expected that heavy rain and high winds 
could cause minor, localized street flooding or minor coastal flooding for 
part of the day Wednesday.

"Street flooding is a possibility," said Channel 4 meteorologist Carl 
Arredondo. "We could see generally 2-3 inches of rainfall during the day, 
and some places could pick up as much as five inches in locally heavy 
spots."

No warnings are in effect for any metro area Parish at this time.

Forecasters say the worst of the heavy rain and high winds should effect 
the metro area during the daylight hours Wednesday, with conditions 
expected to slowly improve Wednesday night into Thursday.

The US Army Corps of Engineers announced Tuesday that they are prepared to 
close the Company and Harvey Canals on the Westbank Wednesday if water 
rises to unsafe levels, and that pumping stations and outfall canals in 
New Orleans will be fully staffed, just in case.

Stay tuned to the Big 870 WWL, 105.3 WWL FM, and wwl.com all day Wednesday 
for updates from the Channel 4 Weather Center.