Delta weakens to a post-tropical cyclone

5:00 a.m. Sunday Update

ROANOKE, Va. – The National Hurricane Center says Delta has become a post-tropical cyclone, but it’s still a heavy rainfall threat. We expect 1-2 inches of additional rain through Monday morning, which could prompt localized flooding concerns.

5:00 p.m. Saturday Update

Delta is moving toward the NE at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph.

The remnants of Delta are expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain, which could lead to flash, urban, small stream and isolated minor river flooding in the Appalachian region of far northeast Georgia, the western Carolinas, and western Virginia.

11:00 p.m. Friday Update

Delta continues to move inland over southwestern Louisiana.

The warning area is still seeing hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge.

As of 11 p.m., Delta was about 70 miles northeast of Cameron, Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.

8:00 p.m. Friday Update

Delta is just inland along the southwestern Louisiana coast, bringing hurricane conditions and a life-threatening storm surge within the warning area.

Delta is moving NNE at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph.

7:00 p.m. Friday Update

Delta has made landfall near Creole, Louisiana as a category two hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Damaging winds and a life-threatening storm surge continue over portions of southern Louisiana.

5:00 p.m. Friday Update

Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall on the southwestern Louisiana coast within the next few hours.

As of 5 p.m., Delta is moving NNE at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph.

Delta is expected to bring hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge to the landfall area.

11:00 a.m. Friday Update

The southern eye wall of Delta has become exposed to wind shear, which should weaken it a bit. Still, the National Hurricane Center expects the storm to be a Category 2 at landfall in Louisiana later in the day Friday.

The storm will bring more rain to our area Saturday through Monday. More details, such as timing and rain totals, can be found here.

5:00 a.m. Friday Update

Delta is a Category 3 hurricane moving toward southwestern Louisiana. Landfall is expected Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane just miles east of where Laura made landfall nearly 40 days ago.

11:00 p.m. Thursday Update

Hurricane Delta has strengthened a bit, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is now moving NNW at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.

Delta is expected to bring hurricane conditions and life-threatening storm surge to portions of the northern gulf coast on Friday.

As of 11 p.m., Delta is about 285 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana.

11:00 a.m. Thursday Update

Delta continues to restrengthen in the warm Gulf waters Thursday morning. This is bad news for coastal residents of Louisiana, who can’t take much more this hurricane season. Landfall is expected Friday afternoon/early Friday evening.

This will be the 10th landfalling storm in the U.S. this season, which would break the old record of 9 landfalls in 1916.

What makes Delta even more significant is how close its projected path is to Laura’s from a month and a half ago.

5:00 a.m. Thursday Update

Since emerging from Mexico, Delta has been able to keep its strength as a Category 2 hurricane. It continues on a course toward the coast of Louisiana once again. Landfall if expected Friday afternoon before giving us some remnant rain this weekend.

11:00 p.m. Wednesday Update

As of 11 p.m., Hurricane Delta has maximum sustained winds near 90 mph with higher gusts. Delta is moving WNW at 17 mph. Storm surge and hurricane warnings have been issued for a portion of the northern Gulf Coast.

On the forecast track, the center of Delta will move over the southern and central Gulf of Mexico through Thursday, and approach the northern Gulf coast on Friday. Delta is expected to strengthen as it moves over the southern and central Gulf of Mexico, and is expected to become a major hurricane again. Some weakening is expected as Delta approaches the northern Gulf coast on Friday.

5 p.m. Wednesday Update

Delta has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, thanks in part to land interaction with the Yucatan Peninsula. The storm has emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and will move through extremely warm waters the next couple days, providing the fuel it needs to strengthen back into a major hurricane. The National Hurricane Center is projecting a landfall in Louisiana on Friday.

6:45 a.m. Wednesday Update

The National Hurricane Center says Delta made landfall near Puerto Morelos, Mexico around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane.

5 a.m. Wednesday Update

Delta continues to move toward areas like Cozumel and Cancún as a dangerous hurricane. The storm’s first landfall is expected Wednesday morning. The second landfall comes Friday in Louisiana.

Remnant rain starts off as showers Saturday with periods of widespread rain Saturday night and Sunday.

11 p.m. Tuesday Update

Hurricane Delta is still a major hurricane (Category 4) but it has weakened a little bit, down to 130 mph.

It is expected to make a landfall along the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico (near Cancún) either late Tuesday night or early Wednesday. It will make another landfall, likely still as a major hurricane, along the U.S. Gulf Coast (maybe Louisiana) Friday evening.

5 p.m. Tuesday Update

Category 4 Hurricane Delta continues to strengthen as it approaches the Yucatan Peninsula. The National Hurricane Center says it has 145 mph winds in the eyewall and the storm will be close to Category 5 status at landfall tonight or Wednesday morning.

This will be the first major hurricane landfall in this area since Category 5 Dean in 2007 and the first hurricane of any strength since Ernesto in 2012.

11:20 a.m. Tuesday Update

The National Hurricane Center says that Hurricane Delta is now a Category 4 storm, making it a major hurricane. The wind speed around the center of the storm has strengthened by about 85 mph in the last 24 hours.

The storm will continue to move toward Cancún, where it will make its first landfall Wednesday morning.

8:00 a.m. Tuesday Update

Delta is on the brink of becoming a Category 3 hurricane. It’s forecast to become a dangerous Category 4 near the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula. It will stay a major hurricane for most of its time in the Gulf of Mexico.

5:00 a.m. Tuesday Update

Hurricane Delta, the 25th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, is a Category 2 storm as of Tuesday’s 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. Warm water and the lack of harsh wind shear will allow the storm to continue to intensify Tuesday.

This comes before moving toward the Yucatan Peninsula, which is just now getting rid of Gamma. This won’t be enough to derail Delta, though. The warm Gulf waters will keep the storm as a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) up until landfall late Friday.

Once again, the Gulf Coast is preparing for a landfalling storm. Six storms have already made landfall along the Gulf Coast this season.

Delta will be the 10th storm to make landfall on U.S. soil in what has been a historic hurricane season in the Atlantic.

As the storm weakens over land, it will throw some rain our way this weekend. This will be the sixth storm to give us remnant rain this season (Bertha, Isaías, Laura, Sally, and Beta).