Tropical Storm Ida turns northward and should make landfall overnight.
AT 4p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Ida was located near Latitude 28.4 North and Longitude 88.5 West or about 60 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 165 miles south-southwest of Pensacola, Florida.
Ida is moving toward the north near 18mph, and a reduction in forward speed is expected overnight. On the forecast track, the center of Ida should reach the northern Gulf Coast tonight. After landfall, Ida is expected to turn eastward on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70mph with higher gusts. Weakening is expected this evening as Ida moves over cooler waters prior to making landfall and is expected to merge with a frontal zone on Wednesday.
Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles.
Rains from Ida are already moving across the coast within the warning area. Total storm accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with isolated maximum storm totals of 8 inches are possible through Wednesday evening from the central and eastern Gulf Coast across the southeastern United States into the Southern Mid-Atlantic states.
A dangerous storm tide will raise water levels by as much as 3 to 5 feet above ground level along the coast near and to the east of where the center makes landfall, as well as in areas of onshore flow in southeastern Louisiana. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
The next update will come from STORM TEAM 3 at 7p.m.
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