JUST IN: Barry becomes Category 1 hurricane as it nears landfall
NEW ORLEANS — Carrying"off the chart" amounts of moisture, sprawling Barry strengthened into a hurricane Saturday as it crawled slowly toward shore, knocking out power on the Gulf Coast and dumping heavy rains that could last for days in a test of flood-prevention efforts implemented after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans 14 years ago.
Barry had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane by Saturday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph , the National Hurricane Center said. Storms become hurricanes when their winds reach 74 mph or higher. Though expected to be a weak hurricane, Barry threatened disastrous flooding across a swath of the Gulf Coast. By Saturday morning, the storm system had gathered a"big slough of moisture," meaning"a lot of rain is on the way," said National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham.
Barry was moving so slowly, it was likely that heavy rain would continue throughout the weekend across Louisiana, Graham said. There were predictions of 10 to 20 inches of rain through Sunday across a swath of Louisiana that includes New Orleans and Baton Rouge with some parts of the state possible getting 25 inches . Looking ahead, tracking forecasts showed the storm moving toward Chicago, swelling the Mississippi River basin with water that must eventually flow south again.
Rescue crews and about 3,000 National Guard troops were posted around Louisiana with boats, high-water vehicles and helicopters. President Donald Trump declared a federal emergency for Louisiana, authorizing federal agencies to coordinate relief efforts.
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