ABC NewsBy MAX GOLEMBO and EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — Hurricane Delta, a dangerous Category 3 hurricane, is charging toward the Louisiana coast.
Rain bands are already spreading into southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.
Delta is expected to weaken slightly before making landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, late Friday as Category 2 hurricane.
Even though it’s expected to weaken, the storm surge from Delta is still forecast to be near 11 feet in parts of Louisiana.
The storm surge and damaging winds will continue to be the biggest threat for southwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas.
There is a storm surge warning in effect for High Island, Texas, to Mouth of the Pearl River in Louisiana Friday, including Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay and Lake Borgne.
A hurricane warning is in effect from High Island, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana.
A tropical storm warning continues for New Orleans and Galveston, Texas, just outside of Houston.
Rainfall totals could reach 6 to 12 inches Friday, with local areas getting up to 15 inches in southern Louisiana. Flash flooding is expected.
Delta is the fourth named storm to make landfall in the state of Louisiana this year.
It will also be the fifth hurricane this year to make landfall in the U.S., which hasn’t happened since 2005.
When Hurricane Delta makes landfall, it will also break the record for most storms to make landfall in one season in the continental U.S.
The other nine named storms that made landfall this season were: Tropical Storm Bertha (South Carolina); Tropical Storm Cristobal (Louisiana); Tropical Storm Fay (New Jersey); Hurricane Hanna (Texas); Hurricane Isaias (North Carolina); Hurricane Laura (Louisiana); Tropical Storm Marco (Louisiana), Hurricane Sally (Alabama); and Tropical Storm Beta (Texas).
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