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Zeta Expected to Bring Hurricane Conditions Tomorrow to Portions of the Northern Gulf Coast

| October 27, 2020 @ 3:47 pm

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…22.7N 90.3W
ABOUT 450 MI…720 KM S OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…65 MPH…100 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NW OR 310 DEGREES AT 14 MPH…22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…984 MB…29.06 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
• Mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Navarre Florida
• Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
• Morgan City Louisiana to the Mississippi/Alabama border
• Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
• Mississippi/Alabama border to Okaloosa/Walton County Line Florida

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
• West of Morgan City to Intracoastal City Louisiana

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
———————-
At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Zeta was
located near latitude 22.7 North, longitude 90.3 West. Zeta is
moving toward the northwest near 14 mph (22 km/h). A turn toward
the north is expected tonight, and a faster northward to north-
northeastward motion is expected on Wednesday. On the forecast
track, the center of Zeta will move over the central Gulf of Mexico
tonight. Zeta is forecast to approach the northern Gulf Coast on
Wednesday, make landfall within the hurricane warning area late
Wednesday or Wednesday night, and move across the southeastern and
eastern United States on Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher
gusts. Zeta is forecast to become a hurricane again tonight and is
forecast to be at or near hurricane strength when it reaches the
northern Gulf Coast late Wednesday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)
from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 984 mb (29.06 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
STORM SURGE: Along the northern Gulf Coast, 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…

• The mouth of the Pearl River to Dauphin Island AL…5-8 ft
• Port Fourchon LA to the Mouth of the Pearl River including Lake
Borgne…4-6 ft
• Dauphin Island AL to AL/FL border including Mobile Bay…3-5 ft
• The mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Port Fourchon LA…2-4 ft
• AL/FL border to Navarre FL including Pensacola Bay…2-4 ft
• Lake Pontchartrain…2-4 ft
• Intracoastal City LA to the Mouth of the Atchafalaya River
including Vermilion Bay…1-3 ft
• Navarre FL to Yankeetown FL including Choctawhatchee Bay and Saint
Andrew Bay…1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the right 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 on the northern Gulf Coast late Wednesday, with
tropical storm conditions beginning Wednesday afternoon. Tropical
storm conditions are expected within the Tropical Storm Warning
area on the northern Gulf Coast by late Wednesday, and tropical
storm conditions are possible within the Tropical Storm Watch area
late Wednesday.

Damaging winds, especially in gusts, will spread well inland across
portions of southeast Mississippi and southern Alabama Wednesday
night.

RAINFALL: An initial area of heavy rains will begin to impact the
central Gulf Coast tonight, with the core of heavy rains spreading
north into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic through Thursday, near
and in advance of Zeta. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches with
isolated amounts of 6 inches are expected across these areas,
resulting in flash, urban, small stream, and minor river flooding.

Zeta will produce an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain across
portions of western Cuba and the northern Yucatan Peninsula through
tonight.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are expected Wednesday and Wednesday
night over southeastern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the
western Panhandle of Florida.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather, Tropical

About the Author ()

Scott Martin is an operational meteorologist, professional graphic artist, musician, husband, and father. Not only is Scott a member of the National Weather Association, but he is also the Central Alabama Chapter of the NWA president. Scott is also the co-founder of Racecast Weather, which provides forecasts for many racing series across the USA. He also supplies forecasts for the BassMaster Elite Series events including the BassMaster Classic.

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