Hurricane Delta makes landfall in Creole, Louisiana

Eyewall of Hurricane Delta is moving onshore of the southwestern coast of Louisiana.

BEAUMONT, Texas — The 12News StormTrackers are closely watching the progress of Hurricane Delta as it moves ashore Friday evening.

The National Hurricane Center said in a tweet the storm is moving ashore on the southwestern coast of Louisiana.

Delta officially made landfall around 6 p.m. in Creole, Louisiana according to the NHC.

Delta’s max sustained winds are currently at 105 mph as the storm churns north-northeast at 14 mph.

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a flash flood warning for central Jefferson County and Orange County in Southeast Texas.

The Southeast Texas coast is under a hurricane warning extending from High Island to Sabine Pass as Hurricane Delta moves shore.

The far eastern edges of Jefferson, Orange and Newton Counties remain in the cone of concern, with Southwest and central Louisiana in the bull’s-eye for Delta.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for Beauregard Parish, Calcasieu Parish, most of Cameron Parish and all of Jefferson Davis Parish ahead of Delta just weeks after Laura ravaged parts of Louisiana.

TIMING

Delta officially made landfall in Creole, Louisiana, around 6 p.m. according to the NHC. The storm started moving ashore around 5 p.m. Friday.

It’s expected to continue northward over land, and Chief Meteorologist Patrick Vaughn believes Southeast Texas will be done with Delta by late Friday night.

STRENGTH

Hurricane Delta is currently a category two storm with maximum sustained winds at 105 mph.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles.

Delta is expected to rapidly weaken after the center moves inland.

TRACK

At 6 p.m. Friday, Delta was moving north-northeast at 14 mph as it moves over Louisiana.

It’s making landfall in Creole, Louisiana as a category two storm. It’s expected to continue in a northeastward motion over Louisiana Friday as it weakens.

Hurricane Delta Track & Models

WATCHES & WARNINGS

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles has issued a flash flood warning for central Jefferson County and Orange County in Southeast Texas.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the Texas coast from High Island to Sabine Pass.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for High Island to Morgan City, Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for west of High Island to Sargent, east of Morgan City, Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River, including New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for east of the mouth of the Pearl River to Bay St. Louis Mississippi.

Tracking Hurricane Delta

Update from the National Hurricane Center:

At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Delta was located near latitude 29.3 North, longitude 93.2 West. Delta is moving toward the north-northeast near 14 mph (22 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue through Saturday morning.

A motion toward the northeast is then expected through Sunday night. On the forecast track, the center of Delta should make landfall along the coast of southwestern Louisiana during the next few hours, and then move across central and northeastern Louisiana tonight and Saturday morning.

After that time, the system is forecast to moves across northern Mississippi into the Tennessee Valley.

Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph (165 km/h) with higher gusts. Some weakening is possible before landfall, with rapid weakening expected after landfall. Delta is forecast to weaken to a tropical storm tonight and to a tropical depression on Saturday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km). The Texas Coastal Ocean Observation Network station at Texas Point recently reported sustained winds of 62 mph (100 km/h) and a wind gust of 78 mph (126 km/h).

The National Ocean Service station at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana, recently reported sustained winds of 53 mph (85 km/h) and a wind gust of 64 mph (104 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 966 mb (28.53 inches). The National Ocean Service station at Calcasieu Pass recently reported a pressure of 983.8 mb (29.05 inches).

Be prepared if a storm comes our way

BEFORE THE STORM

Make a home inventory
Have a current copy of your declarations page that has your policy number and your agent’s number
Review your policy with your insurance agent to determine if you have adequate coverage
Repair loose boards, shingles, shutters and downspouts to prevent them from becoming an issue in high winds or torrential rain
Have an evacuation plan, and include plans for your pets
Make sure your emergency equipment is in working order, including a battery-powered radio, flashlights and extra batteries. Also, make sure to gather all medicine, replenish your first-aid kit and stock a week’s worth of non-perishable food and water
Charge your cell phone and fill your car with gas
Program all emergency phone numbers

DURING THE STORM

If you are advised to evacuate, leave as soon as possible. Retain all related receipts – they may be considered in your claim. If you aren’t in a recommended evacuation and you plant to stay home, stay informed by listening to weather alerts
Keep windows and doors closed at all time, and, if possible, board them up with wooden or metal shutters
Stay away from the windows and in the center of the room, or, stay in an interior room
Avoid flood water, as it may be electrically charged from downed power lines
Check on family members and friends

AFTER THE STORM

Check to be sure your family members are safe
If you did evacuate, wait for official notice that it is safe to re-enter your neighborhood and your house
Document damaged property, and take photos and videos. Don’t dispose of any damaged items without approval
Keep a record of any temporary repairs or expenses to prevent further damage to your property.

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