“color: #333333; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;”>NEW ORLEANS (AP)

— A slow-moving tropical depression is slogging toward the Gulf

coast, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up

to 20 inches.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A slow-moving tropical depression is slogging toward the Gulf coast, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up to 20 inches.

Louisiana’s governor has declared a state of emergency because of the threat of flash flooding.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect early Friday from Mississippi to Texas including New Orleans. The National Hurricane Center says the system will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday and as much as 20 inches in some spots.

The depression also could become Tropical Storm Lee, the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Forecasts call for landfall over the weekend on southern Louisiana’s coast

• Janet McConnaughey,Associated Press