7am Update on Hurricane Ida

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the northern gulf coast from Pascagoula Mississippi eastward to Indian Pass Florida. 

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remain in effect for the northern gulf coast from Grand Isle Louisiana eastward to west of Pascagoula Mississippi… including New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. 

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the northern gulf coast from east of Indian Pass Florida to Aucilla River Florida.

At 700 am est… the center of hurricane Ida was located near latitude 25.8 north… longitude 88.2 west or about 235 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 330 miles south-southwest of Pensacola Florida.

Ida is moving toward the north-northwest near 16 mph.  A turn toward the north and an increase in forward speed are expected during the next 24 hours… followed by a turn toward the northeast on Tuesday.  On the forecast track… Ida is expected to move across the Gulf of Mexico today… and make landfall along the northern gulf coast overnight.

Data from an air force reserve hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 80 mph… with higher gusts.  Ida is a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.  Additional weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours. However… Ida could still be a hurricane when it approaches the gulf coast tonight.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center… and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the hurricane hunter aircraft is 993 mb…29.32 inches.

Rains will be increasing well in advance of ida across the central and eastern Gulf coast… but will become steadier and heavier later today into Tuesday.  Total storm accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with isolated maximum storm totals of 8 inches will be possible through Tuesday from the central and eastern gulf coast
northward into the eastern portions of the Tennessee Valley and the southern Appalachians.

A dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above ground level along the coast near and to the east of where the center makes landfall. Near the coast…the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 1000 am est.