Oct. 6, 2020 - 6:00 am Hurricane Delta Update
The official track of Delta has been nudged a little to the west but impacts are still expected to remain minimal across Southeast Texas. The storm is now expected to reach Category 4 before weakening as it approaches the Louisiana coast.
Bottom Line
We are monitoring Hurricane Delta this morning. This storm has strengthened considerably since yesterday and it is expected to become a major hurricane later today. While we do not anticipate a direct impact to Southeast Texas from this system, the potential for elevated tides and seas continues along the coast and across the Gulf waters. By Thursday, seas will build to 7-10+ feet in the offshore waters while water levels may rise 1-1.5 ft above normal. There remains some uncertainty in the long-term forecast of Delta. While we don't expect direct impacts, we will continue to monitor the development of the system over the next several days.
Hurricane Delta
Hurricane Delta has intensified further, now with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. It is expected to strengthen further and become a major hurricane with sustained winds near 130 miles per hour once it reaches the southern Gulf of Mexico. Delta remains forecast to turn to the northeast on Thursday, potentially making landfall along the north-central Gulf Coast. Once again, direct impacts to Southeast Texas are not expected. However, we continue to anticipate the following marine/coastal impacts:
- Elevated seas will develop on Wednesday, with wave heights eventually building to 7-10+ feet on Thursday across the Gulf waters. These conditions will persist through Friday. This is likely to require the issuance of Small Craft Advisories.
- Water levels will increase along the coast, reaching 1-1.5 ft above normal levels.
- There will be a high risk for strong rip-currents as well as possible wave runup along Gulf-facing beaches.
Given that the eventual landfall of this system is still approximately 4 days away, there is still some uncertainty in its eventual track. Because of this, we will continue to monitor Delta very closely over the next several days and send additional updates as necessary.
Resources
- NWS Houston Galveston Phone Numbers: 281) 337-5074 ext. 234
- NWS Houston/Galveston Webpage: www.weather.gov/houston
- National Hurricane Center Webpage: www.hurricanes.gov
- Hourly Forecasts (Click Your Location: http://forecast.weather.gov/gridpoint.php?site=hgx&TypeDefault=graphical
- West Gulf River Forecast Center Webpage: www.weather.gov/wgrfc
- AHPS Webpage: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=hgx
If you have any additional questions, please feel free reach out to the resources listed above