2020 hurricane season

Starsky Thibodeaux slots another pallet onto the forklift, signaling a thumbs-up for the driver to lift. Standing overhead on the green metal scaffolding, two men in black shirts and hats await to load and strap in six more moving can lights, sending them back to the warehouse floor. It’s pretty standard stuff for the Lafayette-based professional stage crew; only today, these lights aren’t destined for any big stage or audience to spotlight. Rather, Thibodeaux and his crew are on hand to help a fellow live event company, Deep South Productions of Lake Charles, safely relocate gear after its warehouse roof was shredded by Hurricane Laura a month ago.

When Hurricane Laura made landfall on Aug. 27, it tore first through Cameron and Holly Beach — tiny coastal towns all too familiar with the decimation brought by hurricanes.

Now that Hurricane Sally has moved eastward and threats from the storm have dramatically decreased in likelihood, officials in New Orleans are exhaling a bit.

Hurricane Sally continues to strengthen as it makes a slow track toward the Mississippi Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Update: Classes are canceled Tuesday due to Hurricane Sally, NOLA-PS announced Monday afternoon. All school buildings and the district’s central office will be closed.

Gov. John Bel Edwards is urging residents of Southeast Louisiana to make storm preparations as forecasters warn Tropical Storm Sally could strengthen to a hurricane before making landfall Tuesday morning. The slow-moving storm could cause flash flooding and storm surge. 

Tropical Storm Sally is expected to make landfall Tuesday along the north-central Gulf Coast as a Category 1 Hurricane, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued for Orleans Parish and other portions of the northern Gulf Coast.

Much like the year that contains it, the 2020 hurricane season refuses to let up.

The Environmental Protection Agency said none of the chemical and oil spills in Texas caused by Hurricane Laura are emitting dangerous levels of chemicals. Reports are not yet in for facilities in Louisiana.

New Orleans is “meeting the needs” of the roughly 9,600 people now sheltering in the city across 35 hotels after evacuating for Hurricane Laura, Mayor Latoya Cantrell said Tuesday.