NEW ORLEANS - Anticipated severe weather came to the New Orleans area sooner than expected.

Reports and video of funnel clouds and tornado warnings near New Orleans International Airport and in St. Charles Parish came with storm conditions that popped up ahead of the front expected to arrive later in the afternoon and early evening. WWL-TV had live video of waterspouts forming over Lake Pontchartrain.

A tornado was issued for the New Orleans metro area through 5 p.m. A similar watch was in effect for East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Assumption, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, St. Mary Tangipahoa, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana in Louisiana and Amite, Pike and Wilkinson in Mississippi.

Locally, tornadoes were reported near Prairieville where customers immediately reported being without power.  In Convent, storms killed and injured people at an RV park.