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Zeta strengthens into Category 1 hurricane

Storm could hit Louisiana Wednesday
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MIAMI — The National Hurricane Center said Monday afternoon that Zeta has strengthened into a hurricane with 80 mph winds.

SPECIAL SECTION: Hurricane Guide | Hurricane Center

The system is located 105 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico and moving northwest at 10 mph.

According to the National Hurricane Center's latest update, Zeta is projected to make landfall on the eastern part of the Louisiana coastline on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

At that point, officials believe the system will be "at or near hurricane strength."

Zeta is the 11th hurricane in the Atlantic basin this year.

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.

This hurricane season, which has had 27 named storms, is tied for the most named storms on record, which happened in 2005.

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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.

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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.