WeatherHurricane

Actions

Zeta moves away from Gulf Coast after blasting Louisiana, Mississippi

Posted at 7:32 AM, Oct 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-28 23:06:44-04

Hurricane Zeta made landfall Wednesday afternoon with sustained winds estimated at 110 mph, a category 2 storm. That's just 1 mile from being classified as a category 3 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.

By 10 p.m. CT, nearly two hours after landfall, Hurricane Zeta's top winds were down to 80 mph. The hurricane was expected to become a tropical storm in the early morning hours of Thursday.

Lafourche Parish President Archie P. Chaisson told WDSU that he confirmed a 136 mph wind gust in his parish as Hurricane Zeta made landfall in the last hour.

Then, at 4 p.m. CT, the eye wall had come ashore near Cocodrie, Louisiana. The NWS said storm surge was already being seen in areas near the coast. The highest levels of storm surge are expected between Port Fourchon, Louisiana and Dauphon Island, Alabama.

The Governor of Louisiana warned residents that Zeta will bring 2-to-4 inches of rain, with a storm surge of up to eight feet in some areas.

Explainer: What is 'storm surge'?

Zeta is the 27th named storm of 2020 — tying the record set in 2005 for most named storms recorded in a season. And no region has been targeted more by tropical storms this year than the Louisiana coast.

The Louisiana coastline has already been targeted by four major storms this year — Cristobal, Laura, Marco and Delta. The strongest of those storms, Laura, reached category 4 status and caused extensive damage to the Lake Charles area, contributing to 17 deaths in the U.S.

After it leaves Louisiana, the hurricane will bulldoze its way up the mid-Atlantic. Tropical storm warnings extend all the way north into Virginia.

WPTV First Alert Weather Spotters Sponsored By: Manatee Lagoon

About WPTV NewsChannel 5

Join WPTV First Alert Weather Spotters team

Jonathan Diego
4:35 PM, Jul 06, 2022
wptv-surf-forecast.jpg

Surfing Blog

Surf Forecast: Swell Fades, New Pulse Friday

James Wieland
8:53 AM, Oct 09, 2019

WATCH 2023 WPTV FIRST ALERT WEATHER SPECIAL

2023 WPTV First Alert Weather Special

2023 STORM NAMES

Arlene

Bret

Cindy

Don

Emily

Franklin

Gert

Harold

Idalia

Jose

Katia

Lee

Margot

Nigel

Ophelia

Phillipe

Rina

Sean

Tammy

Vince

Whitney

TERMS TO KNOW

TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified coastal area within 48 hours.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within the specified coastal area within 36 hours.

HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are possible somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.

HURRICANE WARNING: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are expected somewhere within the specified coastal area. A hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds.