President Biden has signed an emergency declaration ahead of Hurricane Ida. The storm is quickly gaining strength over the warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to hit Louisiana tomorrow as a category four hurricane with winds around 140 mph. The National Weather Service issued an advisory warning “Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said, “We can sum it up by saying this will be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit anywhere in Louisiana since at least the 1850s.”
1PM CDT Hurricane Ida Update – Hurricane Ida has been upgraded to a category 2 hurricane as it nears the central Gulf with wind speeds of 100mph. We once again stress that if you are under evacuation order or can leave, PLEASE LEAVE. DEVASTATING conditions WILL happen #LAwx #MSwx pic.twitter.com/G31VoMO3t4
— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) August 28, 2021
During a briefing with FEMA, the president said they are sending 500 extra FEMA personnel to the region.
“Ida is turning into a very, very dangerous storm,” President Biden said while receiving a FEMA briefing on Hurricane Ida, advising residents to “pay attention and be prepared.” https://t.co/HvHZUwo19X pic.twitter.com/Bl39YRJYjU
— CNN (@CNN) August 28, 2021
Hurricane watches and warnings are in effect for Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi. The Times-Picayune writes:
Life-threatening winds, storm surge, flooding and tornadoes from Hurricane Ida are expected Sunday. Forecasters at 5 a.m. urged residents to “leave now” if you are under evacuation orders or you have the ability to leave.
Some areas could get up to 20 inches of rain.
This is about three hours of satellite imagery over #Ida, each frame only one minute apart and ending at 12:28pm EDT.
You can see the incredible detail near the center as an eye begins to form.Keep up with the latest forecast and safety information at https://t.co/Q7hJAcQl89 pic.twitter.com/er5ZHlKlyy
— National Weather Service (@NWS) August 28, 2021
This storm is hitting on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. ABC writes:
New Orleans finds itself in the path of Hurricane Ida 16 years to the day after floodwalls collapsed and levees were overtopped by a storm surge driven by Hurricane Katrina. That flooding killed more than 1,000 people and caused billions in damage. But Ida arrives at the doorstep of a region transformed since 2005 by a giant civil works project and closer attention to flood control.
Even though the city may be more prepared this time around, many residents are heeding the warnings to evacuate. The AP adds:
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called a voluntary evacuation Friday and reiterated at a midday Saturday news conference that the time to safely leave was growing short. City officials also were preparing to announce facilities that would be opened to house anyone needing shelter after the storm. And they warned those who stayed to be prepared for prolonged power outage in the days to come, with sweltering heat.
Due to how quickly the storm intensified, there wasn’t time to call for a mandatory evacuation.
Serious evacuation traffic on interstate 10 east near diamond head, Mississippi. pic.twitter.com/1m8gAplXDN
— Mark Sudduth (@hurricanetrack) August 28, 2021
Watch the latest on the storm path from the NBC affiliate in New Orleans above.