Unleashing torrential rains, Tropical Storm Nate has already killed at least 20 people in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras on Thursday, with forecasters predicting it could strengthen into a hurricane as it heads for Mexico and the United States.
On Friday at 1:00 p.m. Nate was about 175 miles (280 kilometers) southeast of Cozumel, Mexico and 165 miles (260 kilometers) north-northeast of Isla Guanaja, Honduras. Nate is now packing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph), with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward to 115 miles (185 kilometers) mainly to the east of the storm’s center.
Tropical Storm Nate is presently moving at 21 mph (33 kph) in a north-northwesterly direction. The minimum central pressure is now 996 MB – 29.42 inches. The storm’s motion is expected to continue through Saturday with a turn to the north-northeast expected Saturday night and Sunday.
To be more specific, the storm will move over the southern Gulf of Mexico tonight, approach the northern Gulf coast Saturday, and then move near or over the northern Gulf coast Saturday night or Sunday, coming ashore about 50 miles east of New Orleans, which was devastated 12 years ago by Hurricane Katrina, according to the National Hurricane Center. It would be the third hurricane, after Harvey and Irma, to hit the US mainland in six weeks.
Hurricane warnings in effect for the following areas:
A hurricane warning is in effect for Grand Isle Louisiana to the Alabama-Florida border. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for Morgan City Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border, as well as the northern and western shores of Lake Pontchartrain.
The continental U.S. can expect heavy rainfall associated with this storm. The U.S. Central Gulf Coast states, eastern Tennessee Valley, and the southern Appalachians will possibly get rainfall totals of from 3 to 6 inches, with a maximum of 12 inches.