As parts of Louisiana still work to recover from back-to-back hurricane landfalls, another one may happen later this week.
Tropical Storm Zeta strengthened to Hurricane Zeta on Monday as it barreled northwest toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. As of Monday night, the system was packing maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour and moving at 12 mph, according to a bulletin by the National Hurricane Center.
Zeta is expected to make landfall in Mexico in the coming hours and bring with it a “dangerous storm surge” to the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Zeta will then enter the western Gulf of Mexico, where it may strengthen before shifting its movement to the northeast and slamming into the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The NHC forecasted late Monday that the system will move onshore in Louisiana sometime Wednesday evening at hurricane strength. Hurricane and tropical storm watches have already been issued for much of the Bayou State’s coast and part of Florida’s panhandle. A hurricane warning is in effect for the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has been one for the history books. It is only the second year that the season has exhausted its list of named storms for the year, requiring the use of the Greek alphabet as backup. The only other year in which such a feat was achieved was 2005, which ended with Zeta as the last-named storm. This season still has ample time to surpass that record and become the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history.
“For those counting, 2005 still holds the record for the most number of named storms in a season, 28. NHC identified an ‘unnamed’ subtropical storm in its post-season analysis that year, which is included in the total. With #Zeta, the number for 2020 currently stands at 27,” the National Hurricane Center said in a tweet.
Louisiana has already suffered direct blows from Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Delta, with both making landfall in similar locations. Laura made landfall as a major Category 4 hurricane in late August and was the strongest storm of the season, killing several people.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Monday in advance of Zeta’s approach.
“While there is some uncertainty in Zeta’s track, it is likely that Louisiana will see some impacts from this storm, and the people of our state need to take it seriously,” Edwards said. “It’s easy to let your guard down late in the hurricane season, but that would be a huge mistake.”
210 PM CDT Update: Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that #Zeta is now a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of around 80 mph. More information at https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/wAESCd9FP5
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 26, 2020
