By Jim Bradshaw

A flood watch will remain in effect for Acadiana through today as the remnants of a wet low pressure system continues to dawdle through Acadiana.

The storm dumped as much as seven inches of rain on parts of Acadiana on Tuesday and brings a 70 percent chance of rain for most of the area again today.

Meanwhile, a second stormy system, Invest 96, was moving west-northwest from the Yucatan into the southern Gulf of Mexico this morning. The National Hurricane Center is currently giving it a 40 percent chance to develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm, up from 30 percent yesterday.

The latest tracking models suggest that Invest 96 will generally follow the path of last week’s Hurricane Alex, if it does develop, with landfall over northeast Mexico or south Texas. That is a more to the west than the track that was predicted yesterday morning. Intensity models generally keep the storm as a tropical depression or tropical storm and do not currently project intensification to hurricane strength.

The latest computer models suggest residents along the Texas and possibly western Louisiana coastlines will be begin to see the storm’s effects by Thursday. Heavy rainfall and tropical storm force winds are possible across a widespread area when the storm comes ashore.

Because of continued uncertainty about the strength and track of the system all interests in the northern and western Gulf coast have been advised to keep a close eye on Invest 96.

If it moves farther east, the storm system can potentially further disrupt oil clean-up and containment efforts already delayed or stopped by the weather. A more westward track could lead to flooding in the Rio Grande Valley, which was recently hit by heavy rain from Hurricane Alex.

Small Craft Advisories are in effect for coastal waters and tides running one to two feet above normal are predicted for Louisiana, bringing some minor coastal flooding.

On Tuesday, the area of low pressure that never officially became a tropical system dumped heavy rain across Acadiana, forcing road closures and prompting flood watches and warnings throughout the day.

The center of the low moved ashore late Monday and early Tuesday, with areas of Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary parishes getting the brunt of the rains. Lance Escude, a forecaster with the National Weather Service office in Lake Charles, said the highest total was recorded at the LSU AgCenter cooperative station near Jeanerette, which had nearly 7 inches of rain by midday Tuesday.

In St. Martin Parish, officials posted signs warning motorists of high water on some roads, but no major problems were reported, according to Maj. Ginny Higgins, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office. Sandbags were available to St. Martin and Iberia parish residents.

Because of high water, the Iberia Parish Public Works Department closed portions of Vida Shaw Road, Smith Road, Eldridge Road, Olivier Road, John Lewis Road, Cypress Lane, Pecan Lane, Eighty Arpent Road, Back Road, Crouchet Road, Tauriac Road, Ozenne Road and Orange Grove Avenue.