Live updates: Zeta expected to speed up, could clear the Coast by midnight Wednesday
Hurricane and storm-surge warnings cover the three Mississippi Coast counties and southeast Louisiana as Tropical Storm Zeta churns in the southern Gulf of Mexico, where it is expected to restrengthen to hurricane status before making landfall In southeast Louisiana.
The National Weather Service in New Orleans told the Sun Herald that South Mississippi could begin experiencing tropical-storm conditions Wednesday mid-afternoon with rain and winds from 40 to 65 mph.
Peak hurricane conditions will be later in the afternoon into the evening with gusts that could reach over 75 mph.
These damaging winds will spread inland across south Mississippi and southern Alabama Wednesday night due to Zeta’s speed.
Zeta is expected to speed up Wednesday, possibly crossing the Coast at over 20 mph, and by midnight have completely moved out of the area, the weather service said.
Zeta could bring a storm surge of 5-8 feet from the mouth of the Pearl River east to Dauphin Island, Alabama, with a surge warning extending to Navarre, Fla.
Zeta was traveling at 14 mph Tuesday afternoon with sustained winds of 65 mph and reached 70 mph Tuesday late night. Winds are forecast at 80 mph at landfall, a Category 1 hurricane.
The Coast will see some rain begin Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, with Zeta expected to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain and isolated amounts of 6 inches. This rainfall Is expected to lead to some flash flooding and minor river flooding.
National Weather Service New Orleans meteorologist Kevin Gilmore broke down the different watches and warnings in a Facebook Live video. The page will have them regularly throughout Wednesday.
Voluntary evacuation in Hancock
Hancock County has announced a voluntary evacuation, beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, of residents in low-lying areas; on rivers, river inlets, bayous and creeks; and in travel trailers, modular homes, mobile homes and homes under construction.
Some hurricane shelters open
- Central Jackson County Shelter opens at 3 p.m. Wednesday at 5500 Ballpark Rd. in Vancleave.
- The Kiln Shelter at 18320 Mississippi Highway 43 in Hancock County is opening at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
- The Poplarville Safe Room at 124 Rodeo Street, Poplarville is scheduled to open Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 8 a.m.
- Gulfport’s County Farm Road 361 Shelter at 15038 County Farm Road now open.
- The Saucier Lizana Road 361 Shelter at 23771 Saucier Lizana Road now open.
Jackson County office open for voting
The Jackson County government offices will close at noon Wednesday, but the Circuit Clerk’s Office will remain open, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Voters that come to vote absentee will need to have a photo I.D. and a “valid reason for voting absentee.”
The office will also be open on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Circuit Clerk’s phone number is 228-769-3040.
Sandbag locations
Below are locations for self-serve sandbags.
Hancock County
- County horse arena, 4184 Kiln-DeLisle Rd.
- Old Hancock County complex, 3068 Longfellow Dr.
- Lakeshore Community Center, 6440 Lower Bay Rd.
- Bayside Fire Dept., 6215 West Hinds St.
- West Hancock Fire Dept., 16006 Washington St.
- Diamondhead City Hall, 5000 Diamondhead Circle
Harrison County
- Gulfport, Road Dept., 10076 Lorraine Rd.
- D’Iberville, Dist. 1 work center, 10085 1st Ave.
City of D’Iberville has sand bags available under north end of I-110 bridge, south of Rodriguez St.
- Lyman, Dist. 2 work center, 15001 County Farm Rd.
- Long Beach, Dist. 3 work center, 605 N. Seal Ave.
- Orange Grove, Dist. 4 work center, 8300 34th Ave.
- Woolmarket, Dist. 5 work center, 16395 Old Woolmarket Rd.
- Gulfport, Courthouse Rd. pier, 96 Courthouse Rd.
- Long Beach, harbor, 720 Cleveland Ave.
- Pass Christian, harbor, 115 Market St.
Jackson County
- Ocean Springs, Public Works Dept., 712 A Pine Dr.
- Moss Point. New Central Fire Station, 4204 Bellview St.
- Gautier, behind City Hall, Highway 90.
- Pascagoula, Jackson County Fairgrounds, 2902 Shortcut Rd.
- Ocean Springs, West Division roads dept., N. Washington Avenue (Hwy. 609).
- Vancleave, Central Division roads dept., 8500 Jim Ramsey Rd.
- Moss Point, East Division roads dept., 10825 Hwy. 63.
- Moss Point, Forts Lake Fire Dept., 10701 Forts Lake Rd.
- Moss Point, Escatawpa Fire Station, 3801 Sentinel Dr.
- Moss Point, New Central Fire Station, 4204 Bellview St.
- Ocean Springs, Fontainebleau Fire Dept., 3901 Hwy. 57 South.
- Ocean Springs, St. Andrews Fire Dept., 1401 Elm St.
Watches upgraded to warnings
A hurricane warning now extends from Morgan City, Louisiana to the Mississippi-Alabama state line for Tropical Storm Zeta, and a storm-surge warning runs from Intracoastal City Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida, the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday morning.
Zeta moved off the Yucatan Peninsula into the southern Gulf of Mexico, where strengthening to hurricane status is expected. The storm system’s cloud pattern is well-organized, the NHC says.
“The official intensity forecast shows slight weakening near landfall, but Zeta is likely to be at or near hurricane strength when it crosses the coastline,” the latest NHC forecast discussion says.
The 10 a.m. forecast raised expected storm-surge leaves to 5-8 feet along the Mississippi coastline to Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Sustained winds at landfall are forecast to be more than 80 mph, a Category 1 hurricane, with gusts up to almost 98 mph. Zeta’s maximum sustained winds are currently 65 mph.
Zeta’s track shifted slightly east with the 10 a.m. advisory. Although landfall location could change, the storm is currently expected to make landfall in extreme southeast Louisiana with a second landfall possible in southeast Mississippi.
8 a.m. Zeta forecast
The Mississippi Coast could see hurricane-force winds and storm surge by Wednesday night from what is now Tropical Storm Zeta.
Zeta is expected Tuesday morning to clear the Yucatan Peninsula and strengthen into a hurricane again later in the day over the warm waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center says.
Zeta is moving at 14 mph toward the northwest, with a turn toward the north anticipated Tuesday night and a faster north to north-northeastward motion Wednesday.
Zeta is expected to make landfall late Wednesday as a strong tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane, which has winds from 74 to 95 mph. Southeastern Louisiana and Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties in South Mississippi are within the warning cone for landfall.
Maxium sustained winds Tuesday morning were 70 mph.
The NHC is currently forecasting winds of around 85 mph at landfall, after increasing wind shear and cooler water temperatures near shore weaken Zeta. Tropical-storm warnings extend north to Hattiesburg and McComb.
Tropical-storm force winds extend 140 miles from Zeta’s center.
Zeta packing storm-surge, heavy rains
As Zeta moves ashore, water could reach 4-6 feet above ground at high tide late Wednesday along the coastline from Port Fourchon, Louisiana, to Dauphin Island Alabama.
Heavy rain associated with Zeta is expected to push northeast from eastern Louisiana, across southern Mississippi, Alabama and northern Georgia from Tuesday night through Wednesday, with rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches and isolated amounts of up to 6 inches. Expect flash-flooding and minor flooding along rivers.
“While increasing wind shear and cooler water temperatures near our coastline should taper off any strengthening, there is certainly the possibility that Zeta could overachieve,” the National Weather Service New Orleans said in its Tuesday morning forecast discussion.
“It is 2020 after all.”
“ . . . This would be a good time to reiterate that intensity forecasts are always difficult, and preparations for one category higher than forecast are always recommended. Regardless of the eventual intensity of Zeta, the good news is that the forward speed of the system at landfall should limit the amount of time the area will experience tropical storm or hurricane conditions.”
Harbor evacuations
Boaters in the Gulfport and Pass Christian harbors are under mandatory orders to evacuate by 8 p.m. Tuesday, while Long Beach boaters must evacuate its harbor by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Biloxi boaters must evacuate public harbors and marinas by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
In D’Iberville harbor, boast must be removed by 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Mississippi Coast localities are beginning to issue states of emergency for Zeta, including Harrison County, Gulfport, Pascagoula and Moss Point.
Barrier islands closed
The Davis Bayou Area in Ocean Springs and Mississippi barrier islands — Ship, Horn, Petit Bois, West Petit Bois and the National Park Service-owned portion of Cat Island — have closed until further notice for high winds, rough seas and heavy rain expected from Tropical Storm Zeta, according to Gulf Islands National Seashore.
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 8:33 AM.
