Tropical Depression Nine has formed in the western Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center expects this system will likely become Hurricane Ida when it enters the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. State Climatologist Barry Keim says a landfall in Louisiana is likely.
“The landfall intensity is likely to be something near Category three status, so we are looking at probably a major hurricane landfall somewhere near that the north-central Gulf coast area,” said Keim.
Keim says landfall is likely on Sunday. He says rapid intensification is expected once the developing storm starts moving through the Gulf of Mexico.
“We are in a low-shearing environment, so the conditions are really conducive for rapid development and rapid intensification of these storms,” said Keim.
Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s concerned about how quickly this storm is coming together.
“We don’t have a five, six, seven-day advance notice. where we would do all of our HR sequencings across the state of Louisiana, working with all of the local officials and so forth, so please stay attention to it,” said Edwards.
If a major storm hits Louisiana’s coast early next week. shelters will likely be needed. Edwards says this presents another challenge with a high rate of COVID transmission.
“The prospect of sheltering potentially thousands and thousands of people at the height of the fourth surge is very daunting,” said Edwards.
The governor is urging everyone to look at getagamplan.org.
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