BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

Barry Strengthens to Category 1 Hurricane as It Heads for New Orleans

The slow-moving storm is predicted to bring widespread flooding to low-lying areas.

The National Hurricane Center upgraded Tropical Storm Barry to a Category 1 hurricane as the slow-moving storm churns toward the Louisiana coast. The torrential storm is expected to sit over the area for 18 to 24 hours, causing widespread flooding in low-lying areas. Hundreds of flights out of New Orleans have been canceled, and widespread evacuations have been underway in areas expected to be hardest hit by flooding. The Rolling Stones, who were scheduled to play in New Orleans on Saturday evening, postponed their concert until Monday. On Saturday morning, more than 62,000 customers were already without power hours before the storm is expected to make landfall. Many residents have opted to ignore evacuation orders to take care of their properties. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana as a Category 5 monster storm, killing more than 1,800 people and causing widespread devastation.