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UPDATE: (4:30 pm)

As expected, Hurricane Delta has increased in strength. It is now a  category 3 hurricane.

Delta is moving northwest at 12 miles per hour.

Here are the current watches and warnings:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for High Island Texas to Ocean Springs Mississippi including Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne.

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

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for West of High Island to Sargent Texas. 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.

Per the National Hurricane Center forecast track for Delta, “isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of Central Alabama on Saturday, 1 through 9 PM. Primary threats are damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and a brief tornado.”

(Source) For more from the National Weather Service, click here.

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Last night Hurricane Delta strengthened again. It could become a major hurricane once again later today. Right now, Hurricane Delta is a category 2 hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico. Maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. Also, it is moving at 17 mph in a northwestward direction.

Currently, models are indicating that Delta will make landfall Friday afternoon east of Lake Charles, Louisiana. It might even make landfall near the same location as Hurricane Laura back in late August. The primary concerns include storm surge, destructive winds, and flooding rain. This range is for East Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Once Delta makes landfall, it should decrease in strength. The system should move inland, moving through the Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley.

Impacts on Central Alabama

The National Weather Service Birmingham provides an overview of potential impacts to Central Alabama. The timing for possible effects on our listening areas will take place Saturday morning into Saturday evening.

Be sure to stay weather aware Saturday. We have a severe weather outlook for Saturday for all of our listening areas. The Storm Prediction Center has our location at a "marginal risk" for Saturday. This means there is a potential risk for a few, brief isolated tornadoes.

  • Tornado: Brief tornadoes possible Saturday between 1 pm – 9 pm.
  • Rain: Potential for up to 2 to 3 inches North West Alabama; generally 1 inch or less south of I-20 corridor.
  • Wind: Potential for 20 to 30 mph gusts.

I stress that these predictions could be adjusted with any changes in Hurricane Delta. I will continue to monitor Hurricane Delta and bring you updates. - @MaryKRadio

(Source) To follow the National Weather Service Birmingham Facebook page, click here.

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