At 1 p.m., the National Hurricane Center reported the center of Hurricane Ida was located near 21.6 North, 82.7 West or about five miles east of the center of the Isle of Youth. Maximum sustained winds were 75 mph and it was moving northwest at 15 mph.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Hurricane and Storm Surge Watches are now posted along the northern Gulf Coast, including just about the entire Louisiana coastline, in advance of Ida.
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Those watches will likely get upgraded to warnings later today or on Saturday morning.
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Late Thursday evening, Gov. John Bel Edwards requested a pre-landfall Federal Declaration of Emergency in a letter to President Joseph R. Biden in advance of Tropical Storm Ida, which is forecast to make landfall in Louisiana as a Category 3 hurricane late Sunday evening or Monday morning.
On Thursday, Gov. Edwards declared a state of emergency for Tropical Storm Idea, allowing the state to begin its preparations and to assist local governments as they respond. Already 12 parishes have declared states of emergency and more are anticipated to do so.
“Unfortunately, Louisiana is forecast to get a direct, strong hit from Tropical Storm Ida, which could make landfall as a major hurricane, a category 3, which is compounded by our current fourth surge of COVID-19. This is an incredibly challenging time for our state,” Gov. Edwards said. “The time for the people of Louisiana to prepare for this strong storm is now, as portions of our state will begin seeing impacts of this storm early Sunday morning, or even late Saturday evening. The next 24 hours are incredibly critical for the state, and a statewide federal emergency declaration will go a long way in helping us respond to Ida.”
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The official forecast shows it becoming a hurricane by Saturday morning as it moves northwestward across the western tip of Cuba and into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
From there, a steady northwestward motion is anticipated as Ida rounds the western periphery of an area of high pressure centered along the East Coast. A Louisiana landfall still appears most likely, with the NHC forecast indicating that will happen by Sunday evening. But impacts will begin to arrive well before landfall, with conditions gradually going downhill during the day on Sunday initially along the coast and building inland into Sunday night. And for the first time in the 4 a.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center is now forecasting Ida to reach the Louisiana coast by Sunday afternoon/evening as a major, Category 3 hurricane.
RELATED: Sandbags available ahead of tropical system
Tropical storm force winds are expected to reach the Louisiana coastline by Sunday morning, meaning anyone ordered to evacuate or considering evacuation should get to your destination by Saturday night.
Wind Impacts
On the current forecast track, tropical storm force winds are expected to impact the entire WAFB viewing area, with the worst of the winds likely extending from Sunday night into early afternoon on Monday. Hurricane force winds will be possible for areas closest to the track, with the 4 a.m. advisory showing a 25% chance of hurricane force winds in Baton Rouge.
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Rainfall
The latest outlook from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center continues to show the potential for widespread 5″-15″ rains across much of SE Louisiana and SW Mississippi. Locally higher amounts will be possible and the highest totals will likely occur east of the center.
Storm Surge
Peak storm surge values are currently forecast to reach 7 to 11 feet from Morgan City eastward to Ocean Springs, MS. Surge of 3 to 5 feet is forecast into Lake Pontchartrain, with 2 to 4 feet forecast for Lake Maurepas.
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Final Preparations
Now is the time for everyone in SE Louisiana and SW Mississippi make your hurricane preparations. The window to get anything done will close from south-to-north by late Saturday or early Sunday.
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It is recommended that all preparations be completed by Saturday afternoon to be safe. And keep in mind that good rain chances are forecast both today and Saturday, meaning rain could impact any outdoor work.
RELATED: Hurricane Tracking Center
Stay with WAFB and the First Alert Storm Team as we help get you through this very serious threat developing for our area this weekend.
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Ida now a hurricane could reach Louisiana as a Category 3 - WAFB
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