50949_WKBW_7_Problem_Solvers_658x90.png

Actions

Delta strengthens into a hurricane, expected to gain power before reaching Gulf Coast

Posted at 8:32 AM, Oct 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-06 00:05:17-04

Delta gained hurricane strength Monday evening, packing top winds of 80 MPH as of 11 p.m. ET as it churns in the Caribbean Sea, heading north.

The rapidly-strengthening tropical storm currently in the Caribbean Sea is moving north, and could strike the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico as a major hurricane on Wednesday.

While the Yucatan Peninsula could be in the path of Delta, there is growing concern for the Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center has areas from Louisiana to the western tip of the Florida panhandle in the path of Delta. The tropical storm is expected to come ashore on Friday as a hurricane.

Delta became the 25th named storm on Monday in what has been an extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.

Louisiana has taken the brunt of the impact of the 2020 Hurricane season. Hurricanes Marco and Laura have already made landfall in the state, causing inland flooding and significant damage along the coast. Hurricane Sally also did significant damage nearby Gulf Shores, Alabama, when it made landfall in September.

A second tropical storm, Gamma, is currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico. It's currently supposed to make landfall on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula later this week.