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Article snippet: Tropical Storm Barry is expected to hit the Louisiana coast as early as Saturday, threatening to send floodwaters in New Orleans and other areas of the state. While it doesn’t appear that Barry will bring tremendous wind power, there are legitimate fears about storm surges causing extensive damage and endangering those who do not evacuate from areas set to be hit by the weather event. Here are five things to watch for. New Orleans levees may be tested New Orleans’s levee system was rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but experts have long worried another strong storm would wipe out the $14 billion in infrastructure designed to protect the city from flooding. The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast that the Mississippi River, which snakes through the city, will crest at 19 feet. Though a foot lower than previously predicted, that’s still uncomfortably close for many residents, as most levees would be topped by river heights between 20 to 22 feet, according to Nola.com. Even if the storm doesn’t reach hurricane strength winds, it’s expected to bring a lot of rain. NWS is predicting between 10 and 20 inches of rain through Saturday. The Associated Press described the city as facing a triple threat as water moves in from the sea, the river and the sky. But it’s not just New Orleans. Coastal Louisiana is quite literally sinking into the Gulf, putting greater pressure on an area highly impacted by flooding. Other towns hit by Michael are also in Barry’... Link to the full article to read more