Atlantic storms begin to wake up 1:28
(CNN) -
Millions of people in the southern United States are preparing for a tropical storm that threatens to dump heavy rain along the Gulf Coast.
In Louisiana, which was hit last month by heavy rain and flooding, the governor has issued a state of emergency.
The storm, which is expected to become Tropical Cyclone 3, is forecast to hit Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and northwest Florida, starting Friday night through the weekend, according to the CNN meteorologist. , Robert Shackelford.
Nearly 6 million people are under a tropical storm warning from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and New Orleans.
Another 5 million people are under flash flood watch throughout inland Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and northwestern Florida.
Claudette could train and make landfall in the US this week
Louisiana Activates Crisis Action Team
The storm is expected to make landfall along the Louisiana coast from Friday night through Saturday morning.
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After making landfall, the storm will weaken and head northeast, hitting Montgomery, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina, Shackelford predicted.
Oil company Chevron Corp. said it has pulled non-essential workers from some operations off the Gulf of Mexico coast ahead of potential tropical weather.
“To prepare for the tropical climate, we have transported all non-essential personnel from our Big Foot, Jack / St. Malo and Tahiti platforms, operated by Chevron.
All personnel at our Genesis facility have also been moved ashore, "Chevron spokesman Tyler Kruzich told CNN in a statement.
In Louisiana, the weather threat has become all too familiar.
"In addition to heavy rains, there is also the threat of coastal flooding, tropical storm-force winds and isolated tornadoes," Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement Thursday.
"The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) has activated its Crisis Action Team and stands ready to support our local partners with any necessary emergency resources beyond the capabilities of the district."
The ground is so hot it can cause burns, doctors warn as a record heat wave scorches several US states.
Last month, at least four people were killed when torrential rain flooded parts of the state.
Last year, two hurricanes hit Louisiana in a few weeks: Hurricane Laura was Category 4 when it made landfall near Lake Charles in August, and Hurricane Delta hit the area just six weeks later.
CNN's Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
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