Mayor LaToya Cantrell today declared a state of emergency for the City of New Orleans in advance of Tropical Storm Gordon. The storm is expected to affect the Gulf Coast by Tuesday evening and may turn into a Category 1 hurricane depending on its path. Mayor Cantrell ordered that City Hall and City government offices be closed Tuesday for non-essential personnel. Only emergency personnel will be on hand. The closure affects all NORDC employees as well.

The City of New Orleans continues to monitor Tropical Storm Gordon, which is expected to impact the New Orleans area Tuesday evening through Wednesday with heavy rain, strong winds and higher than normal tides. "The City of New Orleans is prepared," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "I am urging all of our residents to monitor the weather forecasts, to stay informed, and to have a plan in place."

Because of the combined threat of existing coastal flooding and the increased surge from Gordon, the City urges residents outside the levee system to exercise extreme caution. At this time, the City is issuing a voluntary evacuation order only for areas outside the levee system, which includes Venetian Isles, Lake Catherine and Irish Bayou. As of now, the Flood Protection Authority does not anticipate closing the Highway 90 or Highway 11 floodgates.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is monitoring Tropical Storm Gordon and is in constant communication with airlines and other stakeholders. Any delays and cancellations are decided by the individual airlines, therefore travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines directly for the latest information on flights.

RTA buses and streetcars are operating on a Saturday schedule today, Monday, September 3^rd for the Labor Day holiday. RTA operations teams are preparing for possible service interruptions due to Tropical Storm Gordon. If sustained winds exceed 35mph, or other conditions cause roads or river conditions to become impassable, RTA transit services will be discontinued. Service alerts will be are available at http://www.norta.com/Maps-Schedules/Service-Alerts.aspx

Entergy's Louisiana utilities continue to monitor the potential for impact and power outages to Louisiana from Tropical Storm Gordon. The companies’ distribution and transmission crews and contractors are on alert and ready to safely restore service to customers as quickly as possible. Customers should visit the Entergy Storm Center website for tips and information that can help in planning and making necessary decisions.

The Flood Protection Authority – East (FPA) continues to prepare for Tropical Storm Gordon. As of noon today, the FPA has closed 21 floodgates, 9 valve gates and the concrete barge gate on the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. These gates are all in Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes, primarily along the Industrial Canal and susceptible to high-tide conditions if not closed. The FPA will continue to close key Industrial Canal floodgates the rest of today, 3 September.

In preparation for inclement weather, the Department of Public Works (DPW) will suspend parking restrictions on neutral grounds beginning at 2 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday) until further notice.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning ahead of Tropical Storm Gordon, which means tropical storm-force winds are expected in the New Orleans area within the next 36 hours. Additionally, NWS has issued a Flash Flood Watch through Wednesday night.

The City of New Orleans continues to monitor a potential tropical cyclone that could impact the New Orleans area late Tuesday through Wednesday with heavy rain, elevated tides, and tropical storm force winds. The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for New Orleans, which indicates that the area could see tropical storm-force winds in the next 48 hours.