Hurricane Watch Issued for New Orleans as Tropical Storm Isaias Threatens Gulf
NEW ORLEANS — The National Weather Service on Oct. 7 issued a hurricane watch for New Orleans and a tropical storm watch for the Louisiana coast as Tropical Storm Isaias churned across the Gulf of Mexico, the Shreveport Times reported.
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions — sustained winds of 74 mph or higher — are possible within the watch area, typically within 48 hours. Forecasters said Isaias was expected to strengthen as it moved over warm Gulf waters, with landfall possible within days somewhere along the northern Gulf Coast.
Louisiana emergency officials urged residents to review hurricane plans, stock food, water and medications, secure outdoor items and stay tuned to official forecasts. The state's coastal parishes, still recovering from earlier storms this season, began precautionary preparations: clearing drainage canals, testing pumps in New Orleans' levee system and staging rescue equipment.
Gov. Jeff Landry's office said the state emergency operations center was monitoring the storm around the clock. Memories of past hurricanes run deep in Louisiana, and officials stressed that residents should not wait until a warning is issued to begin preparing.
Forecasters warned that even areas outside the direct landfall zone could see heavy rainfall and tornadoes, as tropical systems often produce severe weather far from their centers. The watch was expected to be upgraded to a warning as the storm drew closer.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：新奥尔良法国区街景。CC BY-SA 3.0，来源：Wikimedia Commons
