The National Weather Service in Lake Charles is expecting an active weather pattern through the weekend, with heavy rain and above normal tides being the primary concerns.

Rain will start to come into parts of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana on Thursday and Friday, but small rain totals of less than a tenth of an inch are expected. Saturday rain totals increase to over half an inch in southeast Texas, down to a tenth of an inch in south central Louisiana. Sunday looks to be the wettest day of the weekend, with over half an inch to over one inch of rain expected area-wide. This rain will likely linger into Monday as well, before tapering off by next Tuesday.

Tides are already running a foot to a foot and a half above normal across coastal sites in southeast Texas and southwest and south central Louisiana. A coastal flood advisory will be in effect for minor coastal flooding, especially during times of high tide, according to a press release.

Forecast confidence is still low on the rain totals and timing of the rain.

Emergency Management Coordinator Ryan Peabody said the weather event should be less than originally expected for Orange County.

“We are ready to go in the event of flooding in the northern Vidor area,” Peabody said. “We are prepared with sandbags. There is quite uncertainty of the extent of the weather event at this time.”

Sandbags will be available at 375 Claiborne Street in Vidor.

Sandbags shall be made available during high rain or flooding periods at the discretion of the Orange County Engineer and/or the Emergency Management Coordinator. There will be a limit of 50 pre‐filled sandbags per person, subject to availability, and unlimited unfilled sandbags per person. Unfilled sandbags must be filled on site. Unfilled sandbags may not be taken offsite unless they are filled. Residents must provide their own means of transport for all sandbags.