AccuWeather Global Weather Center – October 9, 2020 – As residents along the Gulf Coast -- those who still hadn't evacuated -- awoke on Friday morning, they were beginning feel the early effects of Hurricane Delta. Delta's impacts along the Gulf Coast grew more prominent Friday as the major hurricane crept ever closer to landfall along the storm-battered Gulf Coast. Heavy rain and strong winds were increasing as officials warned that preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
At 7 a.m. CDT Friday, Delta was churning about 160 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana, the town where Hurricane Laura made a devastating landfall in late August. Its forward speed was starting to slow, and the storm was moving northward at 12 mph early Friday morning as it prepared to head straight for the hurricane-battered coastline. The storm was maintaining major hurricane strength (Category 3 or higher) with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
Hurricane Delta had restrengthened into a Category 3 storm packing maximum sustained winds of 120 mph over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. At 4 p.m. CDT Thursday, Delta was upgraded to major hurricane status after NOAA's Hurricane Hunters flew through the storm and found that it was strengthening -- and is forecast to hit with Category 2 intensity or greater as it charges toward landfall in southwestern Louisiana late Friday as the 10th storm to strike the United States this hurricane season.
The forecast turn to the north occurred early Friday morning, with the likelihood of a turn more to the northeast on Friday afternoon. The predicted track places communities from southwestern to south-central Louisiana in the path of the worst conditions forecast. The core of the hurricane's wind, rainfall and storm surge would be steered east of Texas with the anticipated path.
However, forecasters said Delta's rain and wind field will continue to grow in size and strength as the hurricane continues to move along at a steady pace.
Squalls containing torrential downpours, gusty winds and even severe thunderstorms will increase in frequency along the northwestern and central Gulf coast area of the U.S. as seas and surf build into Friday.
A rise in water levels began along the upper Gulf on Thursday morning, and levels will continue to ratchet up into Friday afternoon and evening, especially from Alabama through Louisiana.
