Nicholas slams Gulf Coast with dangerous flooding: Latest forecast

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida are under flash flood watches.

September 16, 2021, 1:01 PM

Nicholas is stalling over the Gulf Coast, dropping dangerous amounts of rain over areas still recovering from previous storms.

Flash flood watches are in effect through Friday in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

PHOTO: People use ponchos to stay dry as thei walk along the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier on Sept. 15, 2021 in Ft. Walton, Fla. Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Nicholas continues as Tropical Storm Nicholas makes its way across Texas and Louisiana.
Josh and Katrina Morgan use ponchos to stay dry as thei walk along the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier on Sept. 15, 2021 in Ft. Walton, Fla. Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Nicholas continue to drench the Emerald Coast as Tropical Storm Nicholas makes its way across Texas and Louisiana.
Devon Ravine/Imagn via USA Today Network

Ten to 11 inches of rain has already inundated Alabama and Mississippi with more rain on the way.

The heaviest rain will be from Mississippi to Alabama to Florida over the next 24 hours.

New Orleans will continue to see showers and a few thunderstorms with another 1 to 2 inches of rain possible.

Slow-moving Nicholas is an especially dangerous threat for Louisiana, which is still recovering from deadly Hurricane Ida and other devastating storms in 2021 and 2020.

PHOTO: Storm clouds from Tropical Storm Nicholas are seen behind homes in the Native American community of Isle de Jean Charles, La., which were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, Sept. 14, 2021.
Storm clouds from Tropical Storm Nicholas are seen behind homes in the Native American community of Isle de Jean Charles, La., which were destroyed by Hurricane Ida, Sept. 14, 2021.
Gerald Herbert/AP

As of Tuesday, about 87,000 customers in Louisiana were still without power from Hurricane Ida, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

Over 1,000 Louisiana residents remain at shelters in the wake of Ida, he said Tuesday.

The governor requested an emergency federal declaration, which was granted by President Joe Biden.

Before heading to Louisiana, Nicholas first struck the Houston area with over 6 inches of rain, shuttering schools.

PHOTO: Debris and damaged road construction are left after Tropical Storm Nicholas moved through the area, Sept. 14, 2021 in Houston.
Debris and damaged road construction are left after Tropical Storm Nicholas moved through the area, Sept. 14, 2021 in Houston.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
PHOTO: A gas station roof is blown away by Tropical Storm Nicholas in Matagorda, Texas, Sept. 13, 2021.
A gas station roof is blown away by Tropical Storm Nicholas in Matagorda, Texas, Sept. 13, 2021.
Andrew Dubya via Reuters

In the Houston area, 460,000 customers were without power at the height of the storm early Tuesday, according to CenterPoint Energy. About 300,000 customers saw their power return by Tuesday evening.

PHOTO: Jaime Ybarra and Frank Rivera, right, watch the wind and waves as Tropical Storm Nicholas heads toward the Texas coast, Sept. 13, 2021, along the seawall in Galveston, Texas.
Jaime Ybarra and Frank Rivera, right, watch the wind and waves as Tropical Storm Nicholas heads toward the Texas coast, Sept. 13, 2021, along the seawall in Galveston, Texas.
Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP

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