Here’s what we know about Tropical Storm Barry and what to expect

Tropical Storm Barry, the first tropical system to potentially make landfall in the US this year,is unleashing its first bands of wind and rain on the Louisiana coast.

Here’s what you should know:

How strong is the storm and where is it?

Flooding comes up the wheels of a parked car on Belfast Street near Eagle Street in New Orleans Wednesday, July 10, 2019 after flooding from a 100-year storm from a tropical wave system in the Gulf Mexico dumped lots of rain. The wave system may form into a hurricane called Barry later in the week. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Related article Barry is a triple threat of storm surge, high rivers and flooding as it gets closer to the Louisiana coast

Barry was churningSaturday morning toward the Louisiana coastwith maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, per the National Hurricane Center said. It was about 165 miles west of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 55 miles south-southeast of Morgan City, Louisiana.

Barry is expected to grow into a hurricane by the time it makes landfall, the National Hurricane Center said. It’s likely to be a Category 1.

When and where will it make landfall?

After the wind and rain pick up across south Louisiana, landfall is expected early Saturday morning, somewhere along the state’s central coast.

The worst conditions for south Louisiana and New Orleans will kick in Saturday and last into Sunday.

Barry will then move inland to the Lower Mississippi Valleythrough Sunday, when it should begin to weaken, the hurricane center said.

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What are the risks?

While wind is a huge threat in tropical systems, the dangers here are posed byheavy rainfall, storm surge and flooding, authorities have emphasized. And the worst conditions could be felt far from the center of the storm.

When it comes to rain, one of the most important factors will be the storm’s forward speed.

The Mississippi River is at 16 feet, which is just below flood stage, 17 feet, in New Orleans, Thursday, July 11, 2019 ahead of Tropical Storm Barry from the Gulf of Mexico. The river levees protect to about 20 feet, which the river may reach if predicted storm surge prevents the river from flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

Related article Rising water poses the deadliest threat in major storms -- and New Orleans' ground is already saturated

Barry was crawling at 5 mph Saturday morning. And the slower it moves, the more time it has to dump rain on the same places. The forward speed could mean the difference between 5 inches of rain and 20 inches.

It’s also important to look out forbands of thunderstorms. The worst weather during hurricanes is typically found closest to the eye of the storm, but that’s not necessarily the case with tropical storms that are still forming, like Barry.

In storms like this one, the worst conditions – the heaviest rain and the strongest winds – are in the strongest clusters of thunderstorms, which could pop up a hundred miles from storm’s center.

Storm surge will be a concern, peaking late Friday night through midday Saturday, then lessening after landfall. The surge, which could be felt anywhere near and east of where the storm makes landfall, will be maximized during high tide Saturday morning. Areas outside public levee systems are most at risk.