At 1:00 pm, Delta Continues Moving Northwest Toward the Louisiana Coast

SUMMARY OF 100 PM CDT…1800 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…24.4N 93.1W
ABOUT 370 MI…595 KM S OF CAMERON LOUISIANA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…105 MPH…165 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NW OR 310 DEGREES AT 13 MPH…21 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…966 MB…28.53 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
* High Island Texas to Ocean Springs Mississippi including
Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas,
and Lake Borgne

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* High Island Texas to Morgan City Louisiana

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* West of High Island to San Luis Pass Texas
* East of Morgan City Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River,
including New Orleans
* Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* East of the mouth of the Pearl River to Bay St. Louis Mississippi

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
———————-
At 100 PM CDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Delta was located
near latitude 24.4 North, longitude 93.1 West. Delta is moving
toward the northwest near 13 mph (21 km/h), and this motion with a
reduction in forward speed is expected this afternoon. A turn
toward the north is forecast to occur by late tonight, followed by a
north-northeastward motion by Friday afternoon or Friday night. On
the forecast track, the center of Delta will move over the western
Gulf of Mexico this afternoon, over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico
on Friday, and then move inland within the hurricane warning area
Friday afternoon or Friday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph (165 km/h) with higher
gusts. Strengthening is forecast, and Delta is expected to become a
major hurricane again by tonight. Some weakening is possible as
Delta approaches the northern Gulf coast on Friday, with rapid
weakening expected after the center moves inland.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from
the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125
miles (205 km).

The latest minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force
Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft data is 966 mb (28.53 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could
reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated
areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA to Port Fourchon, LA including Vermilion Bay…7-11 ft
Holly Beach, LA to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA…4-7 ft
Port Fourchon, LA to the Mouth of the Mississippi River…4-6 ft
Sabine Pass to Holly Beach, LA…3-5 ft
Calcasieu Lake…3-5 ft
High Island, TX to Sabine Pass…2-4 ft
The mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, MS…2-4 ft
Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas…2-4 ft
Ocean Springs, MS to the AL/FL border including Mobile Bay…1-3 ft
Sabine Lake…1-3 ft
Port O’Connor, TX to High Island, TX including Galveston Bay…1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be
accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding
depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle,
and can vary greatly over short distances. For information
specific to your area, please see products issued by your local
National Weather Service forecast office.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane
warning area by Friday afternoon or evening, with tropical storm
conditions expected within this area by early Friday. Tropical
storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning
areas on Friday, and are possible in the tropical storm watch area
Friday night.

RAINFALL: Friday through Saturday, Delta is expected to produce 5
to 10 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches,
from southwest into south-central Louisiana. These rainfall amounts
will lead to significant flash, urban, small stream flooding, along
with minor to isolated moderate river flooding.

For extreme east Texas into northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas
and western Mississippi, Delta is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches
of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches. These rainfall
amounts will lead to flash, urban, small stream and isolated minor
river flooding.

As Delta moves farther inland, 1 to 3 inches of rain, with locally
higher amounts, are expected in the Ohio Valley and Mid Atlantic
this weekend.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible late tonight through Friday
over southern parts of Louisiana and Mississippi

SURF: Swells from Delta will begin to affect portions of the
northern and western Gulf coast later today. These swells are likely
to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Category: ALL POSTS, Severe Weather, Tropical