Update : Storm Barry

The storm Barry has been gathering speed over the Gulf of Mexico in the past few days. Officials say sustained wind speeds have grown to 65mph (104km/h) and may reach hurricane strength by the time it makes landfall on the southern coast of US in the state of Lousiana. It is expected to bring a storm surge and heavy rainfall to the city of New Orleans. The city is already seen thunderstorms and flash floods. The National Weather Service warned that flooding from the storm poses a major risk.

Barry will test flood defenses improved after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 left much of New Orleans underwater.

Storm

A storm is any disturbed state of an environment or in an astronomical body’s atmosphere especially affecting its surface, and strongly implying severe weather. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), heavy precipitation (snowstorm, rainstorm), heavy freezing rain (ice storm), strong winds (tropical cyclone, windstorm), or wind transporting some substance through the atmosphere as in a dust storm, blizzard, sandstorm, etc.

Storms have the potential to harm lives and property via storm surge, heavy rain or snow causing flooding or road impassibility, lightning, wildfires, and vertical wind shear. Systems with significant rainfall and duration help alleviate drought in places they move through. Heavy snowfall can allow special recreational activities to take place which would not be possible otherwise, such as skiing and snowmobiling.