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Monitoring Hurricane Nate – Landfall Anticipated Near Mouth of the Mississippi River

Posted on by Katie Freeman

As of 1:00 PM, CDT, Saturday October 7, 2017, the National Hurricane Center’s Public Advisory states that the center of Hurricane Nate is moving rapidly toward the north-northwest near 25 miles per hour expected to continue through this evening. A turn toward the north is forecast tonight, followed by a turn toward the northeast on Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Hurricane Nate will approach the mouth of the Mississippi during the next several hours and will make landfall along the central U.S. Gulf Coast tonight. A state of emergency has been declared by the Governor of Louisiana and a Presidential Emergency Declaration has been approved by the President.

Coastal Watches/Warnings and Forecast Cone for Storm Center as of 1:00 PM CDT. Source, National Hurricane Center.

Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds are near 90 miles per hour with higher gusts. The Storm is expected to strengthen before landfall, is forecast to be a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale when the center reaches the Gulf Coast.

Summary of Watches and Warnings in Effect

  • A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Grand Isle, Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border; metropolitan New Orleans, Louisiana; and around Lake Pontchartrain.
  • A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Morgan City, Louisiana to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line, Florida; the northern and western shores of Lake Pontchartrain
  • A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Lake Maurepas; West of Grand Isle to Morgan City, Louisiana; est of the Alabama/Florida border to Indian Pass, Florida.
  • A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Lake Maurepas; east of the Alabama/Florida border to the Okaloosa/Walton County
    Line; West of Grand Isle to Morgan City, Louisiana.
  • A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for East of the Okaloosa/Walton County Line to Indian Pass, Florida.
  • A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for West of Morgan City to Intracoastal City ,Louisiana.

Current Evacuation Orders

As the storm progresses, evacuation orders may be issued by public safety and emergency management officials. Please follow all evacuation orders and monitor local news for additional instructions.

  • Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for some areas of New Orleans, Louisiana and a mandatory curfew is in effect.

If you are in the path of the storm, please follow all instructions issued by public safety officials.