NEW ORLEANS — The Latest on Hurricane Nate (all times local):
10 a.m.
Strengthening Hurricane Nate is now expected to be a Category 2 hurricane at landfall on the central Gulf Coast in coming hours.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Nate’s top sustained winds have recently risen to 90 mph (150 kph) and the core is now about 180 miles (285 kilometres) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
As of 10 a.m. CDT Saturday, Nate was accelerating to 26 mph (43 kph) and headed north-northwest on a course expected to take it onto the central Gulf Coast on Saturday night. Forecasters say the hurricane-force winds extend out up to 35 miles (55 kph), mainly to the east of the eye.
In addition to hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings already in place along a wide stretch of Gulf Coast, a new tropical storm warning has been issued in the Florida Panhandle from east of the Okaloosa-Walton County line to Indian Pass, Florida.
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9:45 a.m.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards says President Donald Trump has approved a pre-disaster emergency declaration for 17 parishes.
Edwards said Saturday morning he spoke with Trump as Hurricane Nate headed for the Gulf Coast.
Nate’s forecast track would take it past the southeastern tip of Louisiana Saturday evening, heading for a landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But forecasters warned people from eastern Louisiana and into Alabama to be on alert for the storm’s effects.
Louisana’s Lafourche (lah_FOOSH’) Parish is the latest to order a mandatory evacuation. Officials there ordered a mandatory evacuation of part of the town of Golden Meadow Saturday morning.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency announced the opening of shelters on the coast Saturday. Alabama also was opening shelters for coastal residents.
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8:15 a.m.
President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for a large area of Louisiana and ordered federal assistance for the state as Hurricane Nate approaches the central Gulf of Mexico.
A White House statement released early Saturday said the president authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to co-ordinate all federal disaster relief efforts. The statement says the move is intended to speed aid, save lives and protect property and public safety in the region. It specifically identifies 17 parishes, many in coastal Louisiana.
The statement comes as Nate is speeding north-northwest over the central Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane. Forecasters say the hurricane is expected to make landfall Saturday night along the central U.S. Gulf Coast.
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8 a.m.
Hurricane Nate has gotten a little stronger as it races across the central Gulf of Mexico.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Nate is moving toward the north-northwest at about 22 mph (35 kph) and the core of the hurricane is expected to make landfall Saturday night on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The centre says a hurricane hunter aircraft found maximum sustained winds in the Category 1 storm have risen to near 85 mph (135 kph) with higher gusts. Forecasters say some more strengthening is possible before Nate makes landfall.
At 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, Nate was centred about 245 miles (395 kilometres) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. A hurricane warning is in effect from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border as well as for the New Orleans metro area and nearby Lake Pontchartrain.
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4:18 a.m.
The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Nate continues rapidly moving over the central Gulf of Mexico.
The Miami-based centre says in its 4 a.m. CDT update that the storm had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (128.74 kph). The storm was located about 345 miles (555.2 kilometres) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving north-northwest at 22 mph (35 kph). Forecasters say Nate likely will reach the U.S. Gulf coast near New Orleans late Saturday.
and Louisiana ordered some people to evacuate coastal areas and barrier islands ahead of its expected landfall Saturday night or early Sunday. Evacuations began at some offshore oil platforms in the Gulf.
Mississippi’s government said it would open 11 evacuation shelters in areas away from the immediate coast, with buses available for people who can’t drive.
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1:15 a.m.
The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Nate is heading toward the central Gulf of Mexico and is likely to reach the U.S. Gulf Coast over the weekend.
The Miami-based centre says the storm had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (128.74 kph) and was likely to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the U.S. Gulf coast near New Orleans late Saturday.
Louisiana and Mississippi officials declared states of state of emergency and Louisiana ordered some people to evacuate coastal areas and barrier islands ahead of its expected landfall Saturday night or early Sunday. Evacuations began at some offshore oil platforms in the Gulf.
Mississippi’s government said it would open 11 evacuation shelters in areas away from the immediate coast, with buses available for people who can’t drive.