GULF COAST IN THE EYE OF YET ANOTHER STORM
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 Categor
As Tropical Storm Nate roared toward the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, the National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for a stretch of the U. S. Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border, including New Orleans.
Nate, which originated in the Caribbean Sea, has drenched Central America with heavy rain that was blamed for at least 22 deaths in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica.
As of 5 p. m. ET, Nate was about 80 miles east of Cozumel, Mexico, moving north- northwest at 21 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph.
The hurricane center said Nate was expected to move into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Friday night and move near or over the northern Gulf Coast on Saturday night or Sunday as a Category 1 hurricane.
The hurricane warning was issued for the U. S. coast from Grand Isle, La., to the Alabama- Florida border.
A “life- threatening” storm surge warning was issued for an area from Morgan City, La., to the Alabama- Florida border and for the northern and western shores of Lake Pontchartrain.
Louisiana officials declared a state of emergency and ordered some people to evacuate coastal areas and barrier islands ahead of its expected landfall early Sunday morning, and evacuations began at some offshore oil platforms in the Gulf.
Along the central Gulf Coast, 3 to 6 inches of rain is expected in many areas, with up to 12 inches in some spots, the National Hurricane Center said.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency in Mississippi’s six southernmost counties in advance of the storm’s arrival.
Heavy rainfall from Nate will continue to be a threat in portions of Central America, with life- threatening flash flooding and mudslides possible in portions of Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize through Friday night.
The storm is forecast to strengthen over the northwestern Caribbean Sea before a possible strike on the Cancun region at the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula at near- hurricane strength.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards mobilized 1,300 National Guard troops, with 15 headed to New Orleans to monitor the fragile pumping system there. Edwards urged residents to ready for rainfall, storm surge and severe winds.