City of New Orleans Prepares for Tropical Storm Sally

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for New Orleans. Current rainfall totals are forecast between six to ten inches, with locally higher amounts possible, which could bring flooding to the area. Residents are encouraged to prepare their properties for heavy rain and move vehicles to higher ground. Parking on neutral grounds and sidewalks will be allowed beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13. Please do not block intersections, streetcar tracks, or bike paths. In partnership with the New Orleans City Council, sandbags will be available at the following locations on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.: 

• Arthur Monday Center, 1111 Newton St.  
• Dryades YMCA, 2220 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. 
• Milne Recreation Center, corner of Franklin and Filmore Avenues  
• Former Walmart and Sam's parking lot, 6901 Bundy Rd.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for New Orleans. There is a 10 to 30 percent chance for hurricane force winds (sustained winds over 74 mph) and a 60 to 80 percent chance of tropical storm force winds (sustained winds over 39 mph) in the metro area, with the most likely arrival time being Monday evening into Tuesday morning. Residents should prepare for high winds by securing trash bins, outdoor furniture, and loose branches. At this point, trash and recycling collection will continue as scheduled. Residents should place garbage and recycling carts curbside on scheduled collection days. Should collection be suspended, the City will notify the public. 

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect. Storm surge between six to nine feet is possible in areas outside the levee system, with three to six feet anticipated in Lake Pontchartrain. For this reason, the City is issuing a mandatory evacuation order for areas outside of levee protection, including Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine, and Irish Bayou. The evacuation order will go into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday, Sep. 13.   

In preparation for potential power outages and impacts, residents are encouraged to gather emergency supplies, including food, water, and medications, for at least three days. Those who might need extra help during a storm due to medical or mobility needs should sign up for the City’s Special Needs Registry. To register, call 3-1-1 or go to specialneeds.nola.gov. 

Public Safety Preparations 

The City's Emergency Operations Center, which has been continuously activated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will now transition into a tropical storm response with liaisons from public safety, infrastructure, transportation, and human service agencies, as well as State and Federal partners. 

The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD) is communicating with healthcare partners to ensure they are informed and prepared for tropical weather. NOHD remains on standby for sheltering operations should the need arise. 

The New Orleans Police Department, New Orleans Fire Department, and Emergency Medical Services have emergency personnel ready to respond as necessary. High water vehicles, boats, and barricades are being strategically deployed in areas prone to flooding. 

The Orleans Parish Communication District is prepared to meet the emergency communications needs of New Orleans residents during this tropical weather event.  

Infrastructure Preparations 

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans has 97 of 99 drainage pumps available for service. One drainage pump, located at a Drainage Pump Station on Grant Street, is out of service pending electrical repairs. Another pump at drainage pump station 13 is under repair and is expected to come back into service shortly. One constant-duty pump is out of service, but these are smaller units used to regulate groundwater in canals and are not large enough to be critical during a flood fight. Turbines 1, 3, 4 and 6 are available for service, as well as all 5 Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) generators and all 5 frequency changers. 

Department of Public Works crews will be working over the weekend and into next week to clean catch basins. Seven vacuum trucks and four dump trucks are operational. Asphalt crews are transitioning from asphalt-related work to clearing debris from in front of catch basins. Inspectors and Construction managers will review roadwork construction sites to ensure stockpiles are moved from next to catch basins and all loose materials tied down or removed from the job site.  

The Department of Parks and Parkways is closely monitoring the potential for tropical weather and has crews are ready to respond to downed trees and branches if necessary. Residents are reminded to call 311 if you have a downed tree or large branches and to call Entergy for downed power lines involving trees.    

The Department of Property Management has been working to remove debris around City properties and secure city buildings that flood during heavy rainstorms. 

Entergy’s Louisiana companies are monitoring and planning for the potential impacts of Sally in the coming days. Crews are on alert and preparing to respond should the system impact the companies’ service territories. 

Transportation 

The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority continues to monitor Tropical Storm Sally. The agency will maintain service across all modes as long as weather conditions allow to do safely. For the latest information on storm impacts, visit www.RTAforward.org, call the Rideline at 504-248-3900 or follow @NewOrleansRTA on social media.