Louisiana prepares for back-to-back arrival of 2 storms

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two hurricanes could hit southeast Louisiana two days apart, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said Saturday.

Tracks were still uncertain Saturday, and both systems were still tropical storms. But the center issued a hurricane watch for the New Orleans area, indicating that hurricane-force winds could arrive within 48 hours. The city of New Orleans advised residents to have five days worth of food and water on hand, rather than the usual three.

Tropical Storms Laura and Marco both appeared to be heading toward the same general area. Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Friday so the state can help local governments prepare for the storms.

Both are projected to approach the Gulf Coast at or close to hurricane force — Marco possibly on Monday afternoon and Laura on Wednesday afternoon. But the times were uncertain and forecasts so far have changed widely for the storms.

Winds could reach 74 to 110 mph (119 to 177 kph), the National Weather Service said.

Mariner were warned that “Tropical Storm Marco is expected to begin affecting the coastal waters by early Monday morning and continue to affect the waters through Tuesday. Tropical Storm Laura will then begin impacting the waters by Tuesday night and continue to impact the waters through early Thursday morning."

Raymond Monday of Gretna, a New Orleans suburb on the west bank of the Mississippi River, said, “They’re only (expected to be) Category 1, so I’m not really worried.” Most carts in the Sam's Club there held cases of bottled water stacked high, but his held only a generator.

He said he didn't need anything else — he has a freezer full of food and ballpark-sized containers of water at home. The generator has electric ignition so his wife or daughter...