NEW ORLEANS -- The pumping system here in New Orleans and in Jefferson Parish can only handle about an inch of rain the first hour and then half an inch every hour after that.
And so while the nearby storm system seems to be falling apart, the wet weather it will bring could still cause a fair share of problems.
Going a small distance yields big results for Dianne Kreutz in River Ridge. In fact, she's only moving her car about 25 feet, but it will likely mean the difference between owning a dry vehicle and a soggy one.
"When it rains this street gets pretty flooded. Most of us have to park our cars on Jefferson highway, walk to the house, and then when the water has time to drain, we go back and get our cars,” Kreutz said.
Over the next 24 hours, the metro area is expecting 3 to 5 inches of rain, and Jefferson Parish neighbors say it only takes about 2 inches to flood their court.
And so comes the splish splash before downpour. Jefferson Parish crews spent the day clearing out storm drains clogged with mud and shrubs.
"We will have some puddling and some flooding or water collection in the streets, but the good news is we're not having it in our homes,” said Jefferson Parish Councilman John Young.
In New Orleans the umbrellas are already out, the clouds already grey. Working in connection with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operated pumps, all 22 of the Crescent City's pumping stations remain on and manned.
"They are in coordination. They're talking back and forth. So if for some reasons something goes wrong at outlet canal, they talk with the Sewerage & Water Board. They can slow down the pumps or they can speed them up whatever they need to do,” said Col. Jerry Sneed, deputy mayor of Public Safety
And so in the midst of a light trickle, the game of staying dry plays on.
"It is like musical chairs, but it's definitely not worth risking them on the street, that's for sure,” Kreutz said.
Kreutz still has her husband's vehicle to move. Just a little gas goes a long way before the rain.
“Safe for the night,” Kreutz said, laughing.
Since the pumping systems in the area are already limited by just how much water they can take on, it might be a good idea to attempt to clear out your neighborhood's storm drain before the bulk of that wet weather arrives.
