NEW ORLEANS -- Heavy rain, thunderstorms and flooding are forecast through Thursday as the remnants of tropical storm Allison move slowly north and northeast across the metro New Orleans area.
Six to eight inches of rain fell in northern Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes early Thursday morning.
Significant storm damage is reported in Lafourche Parish, where emergency workers in Raceland say that high winds and drenching rains knocked a school building off its pillars on Wednesday.
Roofs have blown off trailers, and flying debris has damaged about ten homes.
Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms will continue to develop and move from the northwest Gulf of Mexico into southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi.
In New Orleans, parking on the neutral ground, which is normally illegal, is being allowed until 8 a.m. Friday because of the potential for flooding, the mayor's office said.
The main threat from thunderstorms will be heavy rain, but a few strong storms could produce frequent lightning and wind gusts to 40 mph, forecasters say.
A few of the rain bands moving in from the Gulf will become stationary, causing rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour.
Additional rainfall of as much as three inches will be common through early Thursday morning, with local amounts up to eight inches possible, mainly across east central and southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi.
The storm has caused street flooding throughout Uptown New Orleans and Slidell. High winds felled several trees already weakened by termites and two years of drought.
In the 1900 block of Octavia Street, crews spent much of Wednesday morning using chain saws to break up downed trees, hoisting them onto a truck.
In Old Metairie, a giant sweet gum splintered, sending more than 1,000 pounds of tree branch onto homeowner Scott Wiggins' roof. The tree took out a portion his guest room ceiling, and a three-foot splinter pierced the guest bedroom mattress.
The Park Sevice, (504) 286-2100 is responding to calls about downed trees as quickly as weather permits, a spokesman said.
High water has closed the following roads and bridges:
Highway 308 between Raceland and Thibodaux
The Matthews Pontoon Bridge
Highway 3040 at the Houma city limits
Falgout Canal Road in South Terrebonne Parish
Elysion Road off Highway 57
Clendenning Road off Highway 24
Highway 20 just north of Schriever Overpass
Highway 31-85 near Greg LeBlanc Nissan
North Main Project Road between Highway 20 and 31-85
Highway 311 near St. Bridget's Church
Copyright 2007 by WDSU.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
