MSNBC is reporting (as well as others) on the state of emergency declared in anticipation of Hurricane Ida's approach to the Southeastern Gulf states.
Ida is now a Category 2 Hurricane heading north/northwest into the Gulf of Mexico prompting Hurricane Watches and now Warnings along southeast Louisiana and eastward to the Florida panhandle.
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
Updated w/12am CST updates from NHC
From MSNBC
MIAMI - Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Ida.
The declaration, signed Sunday, is considered a precaution allowing for state resources to be used for emergency or disaster situations. [. . .]
Coastal stretches of southeast Louisiana, particularly areas outside levee protection, are the main concern. Forecasts indicate those areas could see winds, rains and high tides that could create localized flooding.
As Ida moves into the Gulf it is over the warm waters of what is known as the Loop Current and it has strengthened to sustained winds of 100mph. While it is still expected to weaken as it encounters cooler waters and high wind shear it is expected to produce higher than normal tides and storm surge.
From Dr. Jeff Masters Wunder Blog
Storm surge is the other concern. With a strong high pressure system anchored voer the U.S. today, the pressure difference between this high and Ida is creating a strong pressure gradient that will drive tides 3 - 5 feet above normal from New Orleans to the Florida Panhandle tonight. As Ida approaches on Monday, an additional rise in water of another two feet is possible, and a large stretch of coast will be subject to very high water levels for an extended period of time. With high winds of 45 - 55 mph likely to build Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning, significant coastal erosion event is shaping up. A particular concern is the low-lying, heavily developed western end of Alabama's Dauphin Island, where storm surges from four hurricanes over the past fifteen years have caused heavy damage.
Here is the satellite loop from 9pm CST:
5-Day Forecast Track:
The latest NHC Public Advisory
HURRICANE IDA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 21A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL112009
1200 AM CST MON NOV 09 2009
...IDA HEADED NORTH-NORTHWEST TOWARD THE GULF COAST...
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI EASTWARD TO INDIAN PASS FLORIDA. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR
THE NORTHERN GULF COAST FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO WEST
OF PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI...INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE
PONTCHARTRAIN. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24
HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST FROM EAST OF INDIAN PASS FLORIDA TO AUCILLA RIVER FLORIDA.
IDA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR. A
TURN TOWARD THE NORTH AND AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST
ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...IDA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS
THE GULF OF MEXICO TODAY...AND APPROACH THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
TONIGHT OR EARLY TUESDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 105 MPH...165 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. IDA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST...BUT IDA IS
EXPECTED TO REMAIN A HURRICANE AS IT APPROACHES THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200
MILES...320 KM.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM PRESSURE BASED ON DATA FROM THE HURRICANE
HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 987 MB...29.15 INCHES.
IDA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3
INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM
TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 8 INCHES POSSIBLE.
RAINS WILL BE INCREASING WELL IN ADVANCE OF IDA ACROSS THE CENTRAL
AND EASTERN GULF COAST...BUT WILL BECOME STEADIER AND HEAVIER
LATER TODAY INTO TUESDAY. TOTAL STORM ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5
INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTALS OF 8 INCHES WILL BE
POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY FROM THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN GULF COAST
NORTHWARD INTO THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND THE
SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.
A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6
FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE COAST NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF
WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.
...SUMMARY OF 1200 AM CST INFORMATION...
LOCATION...24.4N 87.5W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 345 DEGREES AT 15 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...987 MB