Tropical Storm Lee's winds now at 60 mph; some evacuations ordered

High waves from Tropical Storm Lee hit Gulf State Park Pier as it approaches the Gulf Coast Saturday morning, Sept. 3, 2011, in Gulf Shores, Alabama. (Press-Register/Mike Kittrell)

The National Hurricane Center reports that as of 10 a.m. Tropical Storm Lee's winds were at 60 mph. Although Lee's center is not due to cross the Louisiana coast until later this morning or early this afternoon, wind gusts to near 60 mph were reported in the New Orleans metropolitan area this morning.
Parts of Jefferson Parish in Louisiana were placed under a mandatory evacuation on this morning, according to TV station WDSU. Mayor Tim Kerner issued the mandatory evacuation order for residents of Jean Lafitte, Crown Point, Barataria and areas outside the levee protection system.
The storm also prompted tornado warnings in Louisiana and Mississippi, including warnings in Jackson and Hancock counties.
Forecasters say a few tornadoes will be possible through tonight over portions of southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the far western Florida Panhandle.
After Lee crosses the Louisiana coast, it is expected to move slowly across southern Louisiana tonight and Sunday. The storm's effects could be felt over a wide area. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 230 miles from the storm's center and a sustained wind of 49 mph and a gust to 54 mph were recently reported at the NOAA buoy about 50 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
A storm surge of 4 feet was recently reported at Shell Beach, Louisiana, a surge height of 3.5 feet has been reported in Lake Pontchartrain at the New Canal station and a surge height of 2 feet has been reported as far east as Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Rainfall amounts up to 7 inches have occurred thus far across portions of southeastern Louisiana.
Tropical Storm Lee is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches over southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southern Alabama through Sunday night, with possible isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches. The rains are expected to cause extensive flooding.
Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches will be possible over the Florida Panhandle through Sunday night. The storm's minimum central pressure was recently reported by an Air Force reserve reconnaissance aircraft at .29.32 inches.
In the New Orleans area today, toads along Lake Pontchartrain were closed in St. Tammany Parish, and officials reported power outages in Mandeville and Slidell as Tropical Storm Lee pounded the area with heavy thunderstorms.
Officials reported downed trees in the Slidell, Covington and Lacombe areas and water from rainfall flooding was standing on some roads.
Late Saturday morning, bands of heavy rain from Lee were pushing across St. Tammany and the other Florida Parishes north of New Orleans.