Hurricane and storm surge watches issued for Gulf Coast as Zeta strengthens
Editor’s note: Find the latest 10 p.m. Monday forecast here.
Zeta is now a Category 1 hurricane packing 80-mph winds with “higher wind gusts” as it approaches the U.S. Gulf Coast, according to the National Weather Service.
The fast-moving system was forecast to be at or near-hurricane strength before it reaches the northern Gulf by midweek, with impacts stretching from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle beginning Wednesday, experts say.
The storm-weary region is bracing for heavy rain, damaging winds and the potential for isolated tornadoes in the coming days, according to the National Weather Service in New Orleans.
Storm Surge and Hurricane Watches have since been issued for portions of the Gulf Coast including New Orleans and Mississippi’s Harrison, Hancock and Jackson counties.
“Hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge are possible ... residents in the watch area should follow any guidance given by local officials,” the National Hurricane Center said.
Areas of the Gulf Coast could see between 4 and 6 inches of rain, with coastal Mississippi getting up to 6 inches. Coastal flooding due to storm surge is also possible, meteorologist Danielle Manning with the National Weather Service told McClatchy News.
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Greg Michel on Monday said there’s a chance Zeta could weaken, but urged residents not to get complacent.
“We hope that will happen and break this storm up,” he said at a news conference with Gov. Tate Reeves, referring to the storm’s wind shear.
A hurricane watch remains in effect from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Mississippi/Alabama border, including Lake Pontchartrain, according to the National Huricane Center. The area stretching from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida, is also under a storm surge watch.
The U.S. Gulf Coast has suffered back-to-back storms in what has been an unusually active hurricane season. Zeta is the 27th named storm and the 11th hurricane to threaten the region, much of which is still recovering from Hurricane Delta which left 100,000 people without power earlier this month, according to Michel.
As of Monday afternoon, Zeta was traveling northwest at 10 mph as it closed in on the northern Yucatan Peninsula. Risk of storm surge and flash flooding are expected in the region with Zeta dumping heavy rainfall across the Cayman Islands and western Cuba through Tuesday.
The storm could “start to weaken a bit” as it nears the northern part of the Gulf, Manning said. “That’s why we say it could be a strong tropical storm or a hurricane by then.”
The storm is expected to hook right after hitting the Gulf Coast, soaking the southern Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states Thursday and Friday, forecasts show. Much of the southeastern U.S., including Georgia and the Carolinas, could also see several inches of rain.
Widespread rainfall totaling 2 or 3 inches is likely north of Interstate 85 in Georgia “with locally higher amounts possible” as Zeta pushes east through the latter half of the week, the National Weather Service says.
The deluge of wet weather could also lead to minor river and flash flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Where to find sand bags
Harrison County
- Harrison County Road Department: 10076 Lorraine Road, Gulfport, MS 39503
- D’Iberville Work Center: 10085 1st Ave., D’Iberville, MS 39540
- Woolmarket Work Center: 16395 Old Woolmarket Road, Biloxi, MS 39532
- Lyman Work Center: 15001 County Farm Road, Gulfport, MS 39503
- Long Beach Work Center: 605 North Seal Ave., Long Beach, MS 39560
- Orange Grove Work Center: 8300 34th Ave., Gulfport, MS 39501
- Courthouse Rd. Pier: 96 Courthouse Road, Gulfport, MS 39507
- Long Beach Harbor: 720 S Cleveland Ave., Long Beach, MS 39560
- Pass Christian Harbor: 115 Market St., Pass Christian, MS 39571
Hancock County
- Hancock County Horse Arena, 4184 Kiln Delisle Road
- Old Hancock County Complex, 3068 Longfellow Drive
- Lakeshore Community Center, 6440 Lower Bay Road
- Bayside Fire Department, 6215 West Hinds St.
- West Hancock Fire Department, 16006 Washington St.
- Diamondhead City Hall, 5000 Diamondhead Circle
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 10:13 AM.