Hurricane Barry

Forecasters estimate rainfall over south-central Louisiana at about 3 to 5 inches, and isolated maximum rainfall could reach up to 10 inches, posing potential "dangerous, life-threatening flooding."

The water in the Gulf of Mexico is hot and the Mississippi River is high. That could spell disaster for Louisiana.

The storm system has prompted tornado and flash flood warnings, and officials are keeping a close watch on New Orleans' levee system and infrastructure, which failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.