Not this again: Another big storm takes aim
With Tropical Storm Nate likely to make landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center on Friday issued a hurricane warning for a stretch of coastline that includes New Orleans.
The storm — which originated in the Caribbean and already has been blamed for 22 deaths in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica — was expected to come ashore Saturday night or Sunday, forecasters said.
The hurricane warning stretches from Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida state line, and it includes a warning of a “life-threatening” storm surge. Louisiana officials declared a state of emergency and ordered some people to evacuate coastal areas and barrier islands.
Along the central Gulf Coast, 3 to 6 inches of rain was expected in many areas, with some spots anticipated to get a foot of rain.
In Nicaragua, Nate’s arrival followed two weeks of near-constant rain that had left the ground saturated and rivers swollen. Authorities warned of flooding and landslides. Fifteen people were reported dead in Nicaragua; another seven died in Costa Rica, while 15 others were missing.
After hurricanes Harvey and Irma, now the Gulf Coast has Tropical Storm Nate to worry about. The National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for areas from Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border for a storm that could make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane. Nate has drenched Central America with heavy rain and is being blamed for at least 22 deaths. Nate is the 14th named storm of the Atlantic tropical season, which doesn’t end until November.
Along the central Gulf Coast, 3 to 6 inches of rain is expected, with up to 12 inches in spots.