Hurricane-Stricken Louisiana Braces For Delta Landfall Friday

Hurricane Delta is quickly traversing the Gulf of Mexico after making landfall over the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday. The Category 2 storm recharged in the overnight hours, with the National Hurricane Center warning of further intensification ahead of landfall on Friday along the Louisiana coast. 

According to the NHC’s latest tropical update, Delta has maximum sustained winds of about 100 mph and moves northwest at 15 mph. The storm is about 425 miles from Cameron Parish, Louisiana. The storm could strengthen to a major hurricane –­­ Category 3 – ahead of landfall. 

As of 0900 ET Thursday, Delta’s track remains unchanged, with the storm’s path likely to cross near Lake Charles. Lake Charles is the area where Category 4 Hurricane Laura ripped apart houses and buildings in late August. 

Governor John Bel Edwards points out some existing damage by Laura has yet to be permanently removed. 

“All that debris could become missiles in really strong wind,” said Edwards, who also said many residents could experience “anxiety” about another storm hitting the area. 

“We don’t want a hurricane to hit anywhere, but we know that the area that is least prepared and ready for a storm happens to be southwest Louisiana,” he said.

Edwards said President Donald Trump approved his request for federal emergency funds and resources to assist the area. The storm’s potential impact, as described by NHC, could result in a “life-threatening storm surge” along portions of the Northern Gulf Coast on Friday. 

Storm Surge

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

Peak Surge

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

Wind Speed Probabilities

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

Storm Track

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

Rainfall Total

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

Flash Flooding 

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

With Delta expected to intensify into a Category 3 storm, the oil and gas industry wasted no time this week, shutting down offshore rigs and pulling workers. 

“Regarding the Gulf developments, NHC stated that Hurricane Delta has restrengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with hurricane conditions and life-threatening surges expected to begin along portions of the Northern Gulf coast on Friday, whilst BSEE’s estimations yesterday suggest that Hurricane Delta has shut-in 80% offshore crude oil production (prev. 29%) and 49% of natural gas output (prev. 9%) in the Gulf of Mexico – with Shell and Chevron the latest companies to all halt operations in the vicinity,” Ransquawk noted. 

Delta Approaching Offshore Oil And Gas Assets

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

There are nearly eight weeks of hurricane season left, Delta making landfall Friday could break the 1916 record of nine hurricanes making landfall on mainland US in a given season. As readers may recall, a super active season is primarily due to La Nina conditions.