Gulf Coast braces for fast-moving blast of tropical weather
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gulf Coast residents are bracing for a blast of wind, heavy rain and rising water as Tropical Storm Nate threatens to reach hurricane strength before a weekend landfall.
The National Hurricane Center on Friday issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi and Alabama coasts. The storm is forecast to dump 3 to 6 inches of rain, with isolated totals of 12 inches.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency and mobilized 1,300 National Guard troops. Some are heading to New Orleans, where summer storms have exposed problems with the city's pumping system.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mississippi officials are providing sandbags in the state's three coastal counties. The storm threatened to disrupt one of the coast's biggest annual tourist events, the "Cruisin' the Coast" auto show.