Hurricane Delta continues to strengthen, Louisiana landfall likely

(WCBI) – Hurricane Delta continues to undergo rapid intensification as the storm moves through the Caribbean.

As of 10 am Tuesday, the storm was located south of Cuba and had winds of 130 mph, making it a dangerous category 4 hurricane.

BREAKING: Special update…Hurricane Hunter aircraft has found winds of 130 mph (category 4 strength) in #Delta. Rapid intensification continues… #WCBI #mswx #alwx pic.twitter.com/sRogrRxsQO

— Trevor Birchett (@weathertrevor) October 6, 2020

Delta is expected to make a landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula near Cancún on Wednesday. From there, it will continue into the Gulf of Mexico and make a northerly turn toward Louisiana.

While cooler ocean waters in the Gulf could help to hinder any further intensification, it’s likely that Delta will still make landfall Friday night as a strong category 3 hurricane in Louisiana. Impacts could be felt as far east as Orange Beach and Pensacola.

On Tuesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from the storm. Ivey says the same areas impacted by Hurricane Sally are now bracing for effects from Delta.

Residents near the coast and even up to 50 miles inland can expect destructive winds, heavy rain, and tornadoes. While the storm will continue to weaken as it moves inland, we can expect periods of rain and wind on Saturday in North Mississippi and West Alabama.

As with any landfalling tropical system, brief tornadoes are also possible in our area on Saturday.

Stay with the WCBI Weather team for the latest.