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The Latest: Barry prompts tornado warning in Mississippi
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on Barry (all times local):
5:45 a.m.
A severe thunderstorm embedded in one of Barry’s outer bands began rotating over Mississippi before dawn Sunday, prompting a tornado warning.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage.
The National Weather Service in Jackson says the storm early Sunday morning was capable of producing a tornado near the small town of Ellisville, Mississippi.
Ellisville is about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southeast of Jackson.
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4:45 a.m.
Forecasters say the storm that’s drenching Louisiana has now prompted a flash flood warning that covers Mississippi’s capital city.
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As the Atchafalaya River continues to rise due to the rains of Tropical Storm Barry, it becomes harder to see the Morgan City name on the sea wall, Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Morgan City, La.
As the Atchafalaya River continues to rise due to the rains of Tropical Storm Barry, it becomes harder to see the Morgan City name on the sea wall, Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Morgan City, La.
Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP
As the Atchafalaya River continues to rise due to the rains of Tropical Storm Barry, it becomes harder to see the Morgan City name on the sea wall, Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Morgan City, La.
As the Atchafalaya River continues to rise due to the rains of Tropical Storm Barry, it becomes harder to see the Morgan City name on the sea wall, Saturday, July 13, 2019, in Morgan City, La.
Photo: Rogelio V. Solis, AP
The National Weather Service said early Sunday that up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of rain had already fallen in the Jackson area — and more was on the way.
Before dawn Sunday, a narrow band of heavy rain was still streaming north through Jackson. The weather service said that could bring an additional 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain to the area.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center’s 4 a.m. advisory says Barry was centered around 80 miles (125 kilometers) southeast of Shreveport, Louisiana.
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2:10 a.m.
The latest advisory from the U.S. National Hurricane Center has discontinued a tropical storm warning for the area including metropolitan New Orleans, although the warning is still in effect from Morgan City to Cameron.
The storm surge warning from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Biloxi, Mississippi, was also discontinued as of the 1 a.m. Sunday advisory, but the warning is still in effect for Lake Pontchartrain and the area between Intracoastal City and Biloxi.
The agency says Barry is still carrying “life-threatening flooding rains” as it moves over Louisiana. Forecasters say Barry will move across central and northern Louisiana and then over Arkansas on Sunday night and Monday.
Maximum sustained winds had decreased to near 45 mph (75 kph) and the storm was centered around 45 miles (75 kilometers) southwest of Alexandria.
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12 a.m.
A weakened Barry inundated the Gulf Coast but appears unlikely to deluge New Orleans as it slowly advances.
Still, Gov. John Bel Edwards on Saturday night urged residents across south Louisiana to stay “vigilant.” He warned that Barry could still cause disastrous flooding across a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast overnight.
On Saturday, New Orleans had been braced for heavy rains, but instead had intermittent bands of moderate showers and occasional sunshine.
Forecasters downgraded rainfall estimates for New Orleans through Sunday to between 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters). Experts had earlier said the city could get up to 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain.
As of late Saturday night, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and was centered 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Alexandria.