Gulf storm expected to hit Louisiana coast by Saturday morning

With a Gulf rainstorm likely to become Tropical Storm Claudette by the time it makes landfall south of Morgan City early Saturday morning, Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a "state of emergency" to allow a quick response to any need for storm-related assistance.

A tropical storm warning has been issued along the coast from Intracoastal City to the Florida Panhandle. The warning includes the New Orleans metropolitan area.

As of 8 a.m. Friday, the system was in the western Gulf of Mexico with sustained winds of 35 mph -- just shy of the 39 mph needed to become the 2021 hurricane season's third named storm, and the first in the Gulf.

Tropical Storms Ana and Bill occurred earlier in the western Atlantic.

Forecasters say the storm could hit the Louisiana coast as soon as late Friday night, bringing a threat of heavy rainfall and flooding in the area to be impacted.

Avoyelles Emergency Preparedness Director Joey Frank said all indications as of Friday morning are that this parish will "get some rain from the storm, and maybe a little wind," but is not expected to cause any problems. To Avoyelles Parish residents, the weather event will just be another summer rain.