Local Weather News, Weather Forecast, Radar for New Orleans

'They pretty much have saved our community' Full story »

Corps expects to complete in about five years what normally might have taken 20 Full story »

Flood maps that don't reflect actual risks and computer models using outdated or incomplete data are products of a balkanized system that hampers emergency planning and response, users of that system said Wednesday. Case in point: on the eve of the fifth storm season since Hurricane Katrina, there still doesn't exist in Louisiana a central map of accurate Mississippi... Full story »

'Levees aren't foolproof,' one says Full story »

To give more time for decision-making and evacuation when warranted, forecasters will begin issuing their storm warnings a full 12 hours earlier this hurricane season, which begins June 1. That decision and others, including the National Hurricane Center's move last year to eliminate the gobblygook from its description of potential storm surge flooding, are among a mix of changes... Full story »

Flood risk above-average over one-third of country Full story »

Bid challenges continue to hamstring a major hurricane flood reduction project in St. Bernard Parish, where a second formal protest was filed this week by the joint venture that originally won a floodwall construction contract there last fall, then lost it two weeks ago to a competitor who filed the first protest. It's a flip-flop-flip that will further delay construction... Full story »

Forecasters cite jet stream over Tornado Alley Full story »

The metro New Orleans area is under a dense fog advisory until 9 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. Radio reports indicate that there is thick fog on Interstate 55 between Hammond and LaPlace and patchy fog on Interstate 10 over the Bonnet Carre Spillway. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway officials asked motorists to reduce their speeds across the 24-mile... Full story »

 Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravensthal has declared a state of emergency as the city and surrounding areas prepare for possible flooding in the coming days. Ravenstahl made the declaration Wednesday. Heavy rains are expected Friday and into the weekend, and combined with melting snow is creating the potential for rising waters. Ravenstahl said the emergency declaration will help the city more... Full story »

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the New Orleans area and much of southeastern Louisiana through 2 a.m. A severe thunderstorm warning also is in effect for southern Plaquemines Parish until 9:30 p.m. Showers and thunderstorms, some severe and possibly containing enough rotation to cause a tornado, will be moving across the area through early morning... Full story »

As Road Home recipients rush to meet today's deadline to apply for separate reconstruction, elevation and stormproofing grants, confusion over the state's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is intensifying. Applicants, their advocates and the contractors who hope to get paid with the mitigation money are having trouble understanding ever-changing rules, getting clear answers to their questions and even confirming whether... Full story »

Building a levee across the Barataria Basin to protect communities in lower Jefferson Parish is a "high-stakes gamble" that could cause major ecological damage and hinder coastal restoration efforts, a federal environmental official told a panel reviewing five potential alignments for the Donaldsonville-to-the-Gulf levee. An alignment that roughly follows the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway has the backing of many Jefferson... Full story »

St. Bernard Parish has signed the first two purchase agreements under the parish's Lot Next Door program. The signings are a tangible benchmark in the parish's ambitious program, which aims to put thousands of Hurricane Katrina-ruined properties into the hands of neighbors who want to expand their lots. Neighboring Orleans Parish, like St. Bernard hard hit by the hurricane... Full story »

The Algiers Regional Library, vacant since it was damaged by Hurricane Katrina, will come down Wednesday. Demolition will begin with an event at 10 a.m. at the library site, 3014 Holiday Drive. The new building is one of five new libraries slated to be built at a total cost of more than $27 million. "This 30,000-square-foot, $7.3 million, state-of-the-art... Full story »