Despite downgrading to a tropical depression, the rainfall from Nicholas continues to fall over Louisiana Wednesday. This, as residents in Texas were still dealing with the flooding Nicholas caused. The video above shows some of that flooding.
According to the National Hurricane Center, as of 5:00 p.m. EST, the Nicholas was located about 75 miles south of Alexandria, Louisiana, and 140 west of New Orleans. It was moving very slowly, at only about two mph towards New Orleans.
Rainfall from Nicholas is expected to continue to flood parts of Louisiana as the storm continues to crawl east overnight and Thursday, before slowly turning north.
Portions of the central Gulf Coast including southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are expected to see up to eight inches of rainfall from Nicholas through Friday. “Considerable flash flooding impacts, especially in urban areas, are possible across these regions,” the NHC said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service reported Nicholas produced as much as five inches of rainfall in Alabama’s Baldwin County and in northwest Florida as of Wednesday afternoon.
In Louisiana, the flash flood danger is expected to end Thursday, but the rainfall from Nicholas is forecast to linger for days.
“We’re going to be in a wet weather pattern well into next week,” said Meteorologist Christopher Brannan at the National Weather Service. He said Nicholas would likely stall over southwest Louisiana as it dissipates into a a remnant low pressure system.
The state was already struggling from Hurricane Ida, which hit the area last month.
Edith Anthony’s home in LaPlace, Louisiana lost part of its roof while getting about 2 to 3 feet of floodwater two weeks ago. “I’m not sure at this point what it looks like,” Anthony said.
Her and her husband couldn’t arrange for a tarp to cover the roof before Nicholas arrived. Now, they are staying at a hotel in Mobile, Alabama. Anthony said they plan to return this weekend to what’s left of their home.
The rainfall and gusty winds from Nicholas did not help the electricity situation in Louisiana. As of just before 7:00 p.m. EST Wednesday, more than 78,000 people are still without power in Louisiana and Texas. This, according to PowerOutage.US.
