Oct. 28 - Hurricane Zeta Advisory
ZETA CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN - LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE AND STRONG WINDS EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST BEGINNING AROUND MIDDAY
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for:
- The mouth of the Atchafalaya River to Navarre Florida
- Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, Pensacola Bay, and Mobile Bay
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
- Morgan City Louisiana to the Mississippi/Alabama border
- Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Mississippi/Alabama border to Walton/Bay County Line Florida
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- West of Morgan City to Intracoastal City Louisiana
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
At 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Zeta was located near latitude 26.0 North, longitude 91.7 West. Zeta is moving toward the north near 17 mph (28 km/h). A faster northward to north-northeastward motion is expected to begin later this morning. On the forecast track, the center of Zeta will approach the northern Gulf Coast this morning and make landfall in southeastern Louisiana this afternoon. Zeta will move close to the Mississippi coast this evening and move across the southeastern and eastern United States on Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is forecast this morning and Zeta is expected to reach the northern Gulf Coast as a hurricane before weakening over the southeastern United States on Thursday.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km).
The minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations is 978 MB (28.88 inches).