Hurricane Delta landfall expected on Louisiana coast Friday

Hurricane Delta made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula Wednesday morning as a Category 2 storm.

At this time, the center of Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall primarily along the Louisiana coast Friday morning, then move northeast into Louisiana and Mississippi Friday afternoon and into Saturday.

Source: NOAA

Forecasters expect the storm to regain major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher) once it moves north into the Gulf of Mexico. The wind field is likely to grow during its approach to the northern Gulf coast, which will increase the storm surge and wind threats. Some weakening is forecast as Delta approaches the northern Gulf coast Friday.

Regardless of Delta’s landfall intensity, life-threatening storm surge and strong winds are likely over a large portion of the northwestern and northern Gulf coast, which has necessitated the issuance of Storm Surge, Hurricane, and Tropical Storm watches for portions of that area.

A Storm Surge Watch has been issued for the northern Gulf coast from High Island, Texas, to the Alabama/Florida border including Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, Lake Borgne and Mobile Bay.

A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the northern Gulf coast from High Island, Texas, eastward to Grand Isle, Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued along the Texas coast from west of High Island to San Luis Pass. A Tropical Storm Watch has also been issued along the northern Gulf coast from east of Grand Isle, Louisiana, to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, including the city of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.