Weather

Hurricane Delta Strengthening In Gulf Prior To Landfall

The storm is expected to make landfall in the United States as a major hurricane sometime Friday evening.

Hurricane Delta Strengthening In Gulf Prior To Landfall
NOAA / AP
SMS

The U.S. Gulf Coast is preparing for Hurricane Delta as it gains more strength in the Gulf of Mexico.

Delta was a Category 2 storm as of Thursday afternoon but is forecast to quickly intensify and make landfall on Friday as a Category 3 or higher – meaning winds stronger than 110 mph.

A hurricane warning stretches from Eastern Texas to Morgan City in central Louisiana – a region that is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Laura in August. This area is expected to be hit with a life-threatening storm surge that could bring anywhere from 7 to 11 feet of water inland.

The National Hurricane Center has also detected what appears to be an eye forming in the center of the storm, meaning it is gaining significant strength. 

Residents located across East Texas into Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi should be on high alert and follow local radio or TV stations for updates.