Tropical Storm Lee lurches ashore in Louisiana

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By MARY FOSTER

JEAN LAFITTE, La. (AP) - The center of Tropical Storm Lee stretched across the central Gulf Coast early Sunday, dumping torrential rains that threatened flooding in low-lying communities in a foreshadowing of what cities further inland could face in coming days.

Lee's center crawled ashore in Louisiana before dawn after the vast, soggy storm system spent hours during the weekend hovering in the northernmost Gulf of Mexico. The storm's slow crawl to the north gave more time for its drenching rain bands to pelt a wide swath of vulnerable coastline, raising the flood threat.

By Sunday, at least 6 to 10 inches of rain had fallen in some spots along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts, and the National Weather Service warned there was a threat of extensive flooding and flash floods because of the storm's slow, meandering jog inland.

The drenching rain bands were expected to head northward into the Tennessee Valley later in the week as forecasters warned that 10 to 15 inches of rain were possible along the central Gulf Coast and up to 20 inches in isolated spots.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110904/D9PHN5200.html

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Beachgoers run for shelter as the rain starts pouring down Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011 in Dauphin Island, Ala. As Tropical Storm Lee continues advancing toward the Louisiana coast, the storm dumps sporadic heavy rain along the coasts. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)