Hurricane Delta: October 9, 2020 Delta Tracking Toward U.S

Hurricane Delta: October 9, 2020 Delta Tracking Toward U.S. Gulf Coast; Threatens Storm-Weary Region With Life-Threatening Winds, Flooding Rain

Hurricane Delta is a Category 3 storm heading for a Gulf Coast landfall later Friday with life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and rainfall flooding from Louisiana and east Texas to Mississippi. This includes some of the same areas that were ravaged by Hurricane Laura more than a month ago. As expected, Delta intensified again over warmer Gulf of Mexico water Thursday and it appears to be leveling off in strength. Delta’s center is currently about 200 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana, moving north at 10 to 15 mph. Happening Now Rainbands from Delta continue to spread inland and conditions will deteriorate along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts Friday morning. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 160 miles from Delta’s center. Current Watches and Warnings A hurricane warning is in effect from High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana, including Lake Charles and Lafayette, Louisiana; and Port Arthur, Texas. This means hurricane conditions are expected Friday. A storm surge warning is also in effect from High Island, Texas, to the Pearl River, Louisiana, including Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay and Lake Borgne. This means a life-threatening storm surge is expected, in this case Friday afternoon or early evening. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from Sargent to west of High Island, Texas, and from east of Morgan City, Louisiana, to the mouth of the Pearl River, including New Orleans. This means tropical-storm-force winds are expected, in this case within 24 hours. Forecast Timing, Intensity As Delta draws nearer to the Gulf Coast, its wind intensity is expected to diminish somewhat due to increasingly unfavorable upper-level winds and cooler Gulf water. Despite this possible weakening on approach, Delta won’t have much time to weaken before landfall and is still forecast to be a formidable hurricane at landfall along the Louisiana coast later Friday. Delta will then move inland over the lower Mississippi Valley this weekend as it weakens into a remnant area of low pressure. Forecast Impacts Storm Surge, Waves Delta's storm surge will be dangerous and life-threatening regardless of any weakening of its winds up until landfall. The highest storm surge is expected in parts of south-central Louisiana, not just near the immediate Gulf Coast, but also in bays, inlets and to some degree inland along rivers and bayous. Inundation could reach 7 to 11 feet above ground in these areas. In some of these areas, flooding may take days to recede, not just from storm surge, but also from rain-swollen rivers and bayous temporarily backed up unable to drain effectively to the Gulf. A dangerous storm surge is also expected in areas that were ravaged by Hurricane Laura in late August. Any slight shift westward in the forecast track could bring higher storm surge to these areas than what is currently forecast. At least some storm surge flooding is also expected in southeast Louisiana, including along Lake Pontchartrain, and along the Mississippi, Alabama and upper Texas coasts, including areas affected by Hurricane Sally last month.

C opyright © 2020 ComPsych Corporation. All rights reserved. This information is for educational purposes only. ComPsych complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

Winds Tropical storm-force winds will arrive in the hurricane warning area along the northern Gulf Coast as soon as Friday morning. Hurricane conditions (winds 74 mph or greater) are expected in this area by Friday afternoon and evening. The strongest winds with Delta will be near the southwest and south-central Louisiana and extreme upper Texas coasts at landfall as the eyewall moves ashore. This is where structural damage, power outages and downed trees will be most widespread and severe. Southwest Louisiana is particularly vulnerable to strong winds because of the damage Laura already caused there in August. As with most hurricanes, strong winds capable of downing trees and power outages will also extend inland as Delta gains some forward speed near and after landfall, into much of Louisiana, extreme eastern Texas, Mississippi and southern Arkansas late Friday into Saturday. Flooding Rainfall A faster forward speed than what we saw with Hurricane Sally last month will lessen Delta’s extreme rainfall potential to some degree, although heavy rainfall is still expected, particularly along and to the east of its path. As mentioned earlier, this heavy rainfall combined with storm surge could worsen and prolong flooding for a time along the northern Gulf Coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, 5 to 10 inches, with isolated 15-inch amounts are expected with Delta in southwest and central Louisiana. This rainfall could cause flash flooding and minor to locally major river flooding. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated 10-inch amounts are forecast in parts of extreme eastern Texas, northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas and western Mississippi. Some locally heavy rainfall will also spread into the Ohio Valley, Southeast and mid-Atlantic this weekend. Tornadoes As with most landfalling hurricanes and tropical storms, there’s also a threat of isolated tornadoes from Delta. Southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi have the greatest chance of seeing a few tornadoes through Friday night, mainly in outer rainbands where rotating thunderstorms typically occur in tropical cyclones moving inland. Some isolated tornadoes are also possible Saturday with the remnant of Delta from parts of the northern Gulf Coast to portions of the Tennessee Valley.

Website: https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2020-10-09-hurricane-delta-forecast-louisiana-gulf-coast-landfall

To Get Help Louisiana • United Way 2-1-1: Dial 337.232.4357 or visit: https://www.unitedway.org/local/united-states/louisiana • American Red Cross: 225.291.4533 or visit: http://www.redcross.org/la/baton-rouge • Emergency Management Agency: 225.925.7500 or visit: http://gohsep.la.gov/ Texas • United Way 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 or visit: http://www.211texas.org/ • American Red Cross: 512.928.4271 or visit: http://www.redcross.org/local/texas/central-and-south-texas • Texas Division of Emergency Management: 512.424.2208 or visit: https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/ Mississippi • United Way 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 or visit: https://www.unitedway.org/local/united-states/mississippi • American Red Cross: 662.842.6101 or visit: http://www.redcross.org/local/mississippi • Office of Emergency Management: 866.519.6362 or visit: http://www.msema.org/

Copyright © 2020 ComPsych Corporation. All rights reserved. This information is for educational purposes only. ComPsych complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. 2

Road Conditions

Call 511: The Department of Transportation offers its free 511 service for travel information and roadway conditions, including road and bridge closures, toll suspensions and major evacuation routes.

Louisiana Department of Transportation • http://wwwsp.dotd.la.govPages/default.aspx

Mississippi Department of Transportation • Dial 511; https://mdot.ms.gov/

Texas Department of Transportation • https://www.txdot.gov/

Power Outage

To report an outage, call:

Louisiana • Entergy: 800.968.8243: https://www.entergy-louisiana.com/

Mississippi • Mississippi Power Co.: 800.532.1502: https://customerservice2.southerncompany.com/Outages/Overview

Texas • Center Point Energy: 800.752.8036: https://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/residential?sa=ho • Texas New Mexico Power: 888.866.7456: http://www.tnmp.com/customers/outages/map.htm

Airport Closures

Passengers are urged to not come to the local airport unless your flight has been confirmed. If your flight has been canceled, please call your airline's customer service telephone number or rebook through your airline's website.

Flight delay information: http://www.flightstats.com/go/Home/home.do

Copyright © 2020 ComPsych Corporation. All rights reserved. This information is for educational purposes only. ComPsych complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex. 3