NEW ORLEANS – The Latest on approaching weather along the Gulf Coast (all times local):

3 p.m.

New Orleans officials are urging residents to take precautions as severe weather is forecast for the area.

The New Orleans area is under a flood watch through Saturday morning. Residents are advised to stay home during heavy rainfall unless an emergency makes it absolutely necessary for them to get on the road.

The city says police will ticket motorists who drive faster than 5 mph on streets with standing water.

In neighbouring Jefferson Parish, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for that area through Friday morning. Rainfall totals of up to 8 inches are expected in some areas.

Citizens are asked to help reduce the chance of street flooding by clearing debris from streets and drains around their property which can impede water flow into the drainage system.

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12:25 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch that stretches along the Gulf coast from southeast Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.

The flood watch is effect from Wednesday evening through some areas until Saturday morning.

The weather service statement says periods of moderate to heavy rain are expected through Friday across portions of interior southeast Mississippi, coastal southwest Alabama and the northwest Florida Panhandle.

The weather service says significant rainfall accumulations may lead to flash flooding. Rainfall accumulations of 5 to 8 inches are possible, with higher totals in some areas.

In southeast Louisiana, an abundance of tropical moisture could push rain totals through Saturday to between 5 and 8 inches, with some locally higher amounts close to 10 inches.