Heavy Rains, Possible Tornadoes Expected In North Louisiana

The Ark-La-Tex is Preparing for Severe Storms and a High Possibility of Tornadoes.

Many of us didn't expect Beryl to affect us in the Ark-La-Tex, however this storm is no joke. The Desoto Parish Sheriff's Office took to their social media to warn residents about the severe storms with a high possibility for tornadoes later this evening.

"As you can see from the attached graphic, we can expect damaging winds, flooding rain, and tornadoes. As of 10:04am we are also under a Tornado Watch until 10pm tonight. We strongly encourage all to have a plan in the event conditions take a turn for the worse in your area." said the Desoto Parish Sheriff's Office.

What do they suggest we do now to prepare for these storms?

1. Communicate with your family/children where to go and what to do in the event of a tornado, and where to meetup should you get separated after a storm.

2. Keep your cell phones charged and on the charger in case you lose electricity.

3. Have flashlights and extra batteries handy.

4. Bring your pets inside.

5. It is also a good idea to keep your ID on your person at all times. Should you become injured or unconscious, proper identification can help first responders better assist you and make contact with your family members.

6. Bring inside or tie down anything that could be blown away by strong winds. Trampolines and other such yard items can become deadly in strong wind conditions. (Loose items become a risk to not only you, your home, your vehicles but also neighbors and passersby.)

7. Use proper generator safety if you should lose electricity.

The Desoto Sheriff's Office encourages residents to download their app to stay up to date and receive alerts. "Our App will be sending out alerts both automatically from the National Weather Service, and Manually from staff within our agency. Crews within our office are already prepared to respond to downed trees or other emergencies that may arise. Be sure that you have the DeSoto Sheriff App installed, and notifications turned on."