tropical weather

A tropical disturbance in the Gulf is forecast to bring heavy rain to Louisiana and Mississippi through the weekend.

Some parishes have opened sandbag sites in preparation for the heavy rain.

New Orleans is preparing for heavy rainfall this week as a tropical disturbance moves through the Gulf of Mexico toward the Louisiana coast.

The forecast cone no longer includes Louisiana. Local impacts will be primarily coastal flooding, winds and heavy rainfall from the system’s outer bands, the National Weather Service said.

Rafael strengthened Wednesday into a powerful Category 3 hurricane ahead of its expected landfall in western Cuba, where it was forecast to bring “life-threatening” storm surges, winds and flash floods.

Forecasters say a new tropical storm is expected to form in the Caribbean and will bring heavy rain to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before strengthening to a hurricane and likely hitting Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Milton is intensifying and will likely be a major hurricane before it slams into the storm-ravaged Florida coast, most likely on Wednesday.

Gov. Jeff Landry placed all of Louisiana under a state of emergency on Monday as Tropical Storm Francine churns in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Louisiana coast is under a hurricane warning as Francine strengthens and approaches the state.