In Texas, residents are not taking any chances, voluntarily evacuating, filling sandbags and stocking up on water and other supplies.
Edwards said that even though the storm is expected to land west of Louisiana, the state could still be inundated with heavy rainfall and a slight chance that the storm could re-enter the Gulf after landfall and head back east toward Louisiana.
"That's not forecasted now, but it's something the weather service is telling us is a possibility," Edwards said during a news conference Thursday following a meeting with top state officials and a briefing with the National Weather Service.
Shortly after Harvey was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, Edwards warned that its path remains uncertain and that the storm still poses a risk for Louisiana -- currently most directly in Southwest Louisiana but potentially all parts of the state over the coming weeks due to heavy rains and already rain-saturated ground.
Though no signs of Harvey have reached Louisiana yet, the state disaster declaration ahead of landfall sets up the process for a federal disaster declaration, if one is later needed.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that President Donald Trump is staying updated on the storms and "stands ready to provide resources if needed."
The Trump administration does not currently have a permanent Homeland Security secretary at the peak of hurricane season. DHS oversees FEMA. Since Trump elevated Gen. John Kelly to chief of staff, Deputy Secretary Elaine Duke has been serving at the top in an acting capacity.
But Sanders said that should not be cause for concern.
"We are in great shape having Gen. Kelly sitting next to the president throughout this process," she said during Thursday's press briefing at the White House.
Harvey is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane before it makes landfall in Texas late Friday or early Saturday. The system is expected to bring 12 to 20 inches of rain to parts of Texas, with isolated amounts of 30 inches possible in some areas.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in Louisiana and providing aid in preparation for the storm, Edwards said.
The governor said that Harvey’s current forecast does not add “additional concerns” for New Orleans, where more than a dozen Sewerage & Water Board drainage pumps remain offline and only two of the five turbines that power them are running.
“I don’t want anybody to think that we are close to pulling the trigger on evacuating New Orleans,” though there have been ongoing plans and discussions about how evacuations would happen, Edwards said.
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