Parts of Front Street were underwater due to Tuesday’s rainfall. 

While the catastrophic effects of Tropical Storm Harvey have caused record flood levels in parts of Texas, the Teche Area has skirted by with high water levels that aren’t too out of the ordinary for this time of year.

However, the amount of rainfall Iberia and St. Mary parishes receive today could determine the total severity of the storm.  

Harvey was expected to make landfall in Sabine Pass, Texas between 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. this morning, according to the National Weather Service. The forecast has led to tropical storm warnings for Iberia and St. Mary parishes, as well as a voluntary evacuation order in Iberia.

Parish leaders have been preparing all week for a worst case scenario, with Iberia Parish President Larry Richard ready to sign a mandatory evacuation order and open a shelter for stranded residents should flooding get too severe.

According to the latest update from the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, heavy rains and dangerous flood threats continue to be the main problems for southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.

Richard said that the additional rains are anticipated to occur near the same time as high tides in Iberia Parish, which could result in flooding for low-lying, flood prone areas of the parish.

Donald Jones with the NWS said Tuesday that radar estimates during the total rain event so far have been anywhere between 8 to 12 inches in Iberia Parish. In New Iberia, an average of 9 to 10 inches of rain has entered the region, with some of the more severe amounts entering the western part of the city.

Iberia and St. Mary parishes continue to be under a tropical storm warning, along with Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis and Vermilion parishes. Winds will still be gusty today across the entire forecast area, with speeds coming in at around 40 mph after sunrise and decreasing to 30 mph in the afternoon.

The NWS said local residents can expect trees to fall down due to the incoming wind damage, as well as the ground to be saturated.

The threat of storm surges has also increased since Monday’s estimate. Anywhere between two to four feet of water above ground level could fall in Iberia, St. Mary, Cameron and Vermilion. The NWS is forecasting 3 to 5 inches of rain, depending on the development of rainbands in the area. The threat of tornados is also real for local residents as well.

Schools in Iberia Parish will be closed again today, according to Superintendent of Schools Dale Henderson. Spokeswoman for the Diocese of Lafayette Blue Rolfes said that Catholic schools Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary will be closed as well. Highland Baptist Christian School and Assembly Christian School also made announcements of school closures, along with Head Start Centers in St. Mary Parish.

The Iberia Parish Courthouse and New Iberia City Hall will also remain closed today. Sandbags will be available at the city’s public works facility on North Street and Acadian Ballpark. City Councilman Dustin Suire, who oversees the district along City Park, said flooding hasn’t been too severe in the area but another surge would likely reap some damage.

So far, severe flooding has been relegated to the familiar spots in the parish. Center Street, Jefferson Terrace, St. Peter, Main and Lewis streets all have low-lying areas that have high water. As is usually the case, speeding in high water areas has pushed flooding into residential properties. The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that deputies would arrest any suspects caught in the act. Parts of the Bayou Teche have also elevated into residential property in Iberia Parish.

The worst damage to the storm has been westward, however. Many Louisiana residents have been heading to Texas as part of the Cajun Navy, a privately organized group of volunteers who assist police departments in search and rescue. The group was also active during the historic flooding that occurred in Louisiana last August.

Harvey’s path is projected to move northeasterly after it makes landfall in Sabine