Part of MS Gulf Coast now in cone of uncertainty for Eta’s 2nd landfall. What to know
A sliver of the Mississippi Coast is now in the warning cone for Tropical Storm Eta.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts Eya to weaken into a tropical depression before landfall later this week somewhere between the southeastern tip of Jackson County to the western coast of Florida.
“The new official forecast track is to the left or west of the previous advisory track, but not as far west as the consensus models, which take a significantly weaker and more shallow cyclone toward the north-central Gulf coast,” the National Hurricane Center’s forecast discussion said Monday afternoon.
Two storm models have Eta strengthening into a major hurricane — with one showing the storm trapped in the Gulf while the other sends it northeastward — but the NHC said these models are considered “outliers.”
Instead, the NHC says, “Eta could approach the Florida Gulf Coast later this week as a tropical storm, and possibly bring impacts from rain, wind, and storm surge. Interests in this area should monitor the progress of Eta and updates to the forecast this week.”
Track errors are up to 150 nautical miles four days out.
Eta’s maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph, with the best chance for strengthening over the next 36 hours. Dry air and wind shear should weaken Eta to a tropical depression before a second landfall, the NHC says.
Eta made landfall Sunday night in the Florida Keys with 65 mph winds and heavy rain.
The storm is still soaking south Florida as it travels at 16 mph in the Gulf off the Florida coast.
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 5:34 PM.
