Tropical Storm Nate Strengthens To A Hurricane As It Barrels Towards The Gulf Coast And New Orleans

Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida have all declared a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Nate has now been upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, officially making it the ninth hurricane of the season. The storm is expected to make landfall in the United States somewhere between Southeast Louisiana and the Alabama-Florida border late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, but exactly where it lands will determine the amount of damage it has the potential to bring — particularly to the already vulnerable New Orleans.

If Nate makes landfall just west of the city, it has the potential to cause a surge of 5 to 8 feet above dry land, which will result in significant flooding. Whereas more likely, it makes landfall east of the city, the odds of a surge are dramatically reduced.

The Hurricane Center has issued hurricane warnings for southeastern Louisiana and coastal Mississippi and Alabama, including New Orleans, Biloxi and Mobile. Rainbands and tropical-storm force winds could begin there as soon as Saturday afternoon.

“[P]reparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in these areas,” the Hurricane Center said.

As of Saturday morning, Hurricane Nate was dealing with 85 mph maximum winds, centered 245 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and heading north-northwest at 22 mph. If the storm intensifies to over 95 mph by the time it hits landfall it has the potential to reach a Category 2 intensity.

On Saturday morning, President Trump tweeted that “our great team” at FEMA is prepared for the hurricane, encouraging residents to listen to local authorities.

Update: Hurricane Nate is now expected to reach a Category 2 storm by landfall:

(Via Washington Post)