ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane watches and warnings were issued for parts of the Louisiana coast Thursday afternoon as Tropical Storm Barry formed in the Gulf of Mexico and continued its trek west.

Hurricane Hunters flew into Tropical Storm Barry Thursday evening and found that it had strengthened slightly. 

The track is very similar, moving away from Florida, but hurricane status is not expected. There are still major impacts going to be felt from Mississippi and west toward Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Barry formed Thursday morning in the north central Gulf of Mexico. So far, this storm has been on a westward track, but is expected to turn northwestward Friday toward Louisiana.

The tropical system will not be a direct threat to Florida.

The hurricane warning was issued for parts of coastal Louisiana. A tropical storm warning included metro New Orleans.

Tropical Storm Barry is moving west at around 3 mph with winds to 50 mph. On the latest forecast track, this system is projected to strengthen slightly over the next 48 hours as it travels parallel to the coast of Mississippi and Louisiana.

Barry is no longer expected to intensify to a hurricane. Tropical Storm Barry is forecast to move onshore coastal Louisiana on Saturday.

This storm will be a significant rain maker with 10 to 20 inches, isolated 25 inches possible in the storm’s path through early next week. In addition to the risk of flooding, storm surge flooding of 3 to 6 feet is a risk along the Gulf Coast. Isolated tornadoes could also occur in the outer bands.

A hurricane warning is in effect for:

  • Intracoastal City to Grand Isle

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

  • Mouth of the Pearl River to Grand Isle
  • Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas including metropolitan New Orleans
  • Intracoastal City to Cameron

A storm surge warning is in effect for:

  • Intracoastal City to Shell Beach

A storm surge watch is in effect for:

  • Shell Beach to the Mississippi/Alabama border
  • Mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Intracoastal City
  • Lake Pontchartrain

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

  • Mouth of the Mississippi River to Grand Isle
  • Intracoastal City to Cameron

A tropical storm watch is in effect for:

  • East of the mouth of the Pearl River to the Mississippi/Alabama border

Central Florida will face daily rain chances for the rest of the week with scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms, but tropical storm conditions are not expected.

Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30.