1. Life-threatening storm surge is expected near and east of whereDelta makes landfall this evening, and a Storm Surge Warning is in effect from High Island, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The highest inundation of 7 to 11 feet is expected somewhere between Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and Morgan City, Louisiana. Residents in the warning area should promptly follow advice given by local officials. The storm surge risk remains high despite the forecast decrease in intensity before landfall since Delta is a relatively large hurricane.

2. Hurricane-force winds are expected this afternoon and eveningsomewhere within the Hurricane Warning area between High Island,Texas, and Morgan City, Louisiana. Hurricane force winds will alsospread inland across portions of southern Louisiana near the path ofDeltas center this evening and tonight.

3. Heavy rainfall will lead to significant flash flooding and minor to major river flooding in parts of Louisiana today and Saturday. Additional flooding is expected across portions of the central Gulf Coast into the Lower Mississippi Valley.

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

The Tropical Storm Watch from east of the mouth of the Pearl River to Bay St. Louis Mississippi has been discontinued.

A Storm Surge Warning has been discontinued from Ocean Springs, MS to Mouth of the Pearl River, LA including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
- High Island Texas to Mouth of the Pearl River Louisiana including Calcasieu Lake, Vermilion Bay, and Lake Borgne

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
- High Island Texas to Morgan City Louisiana

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
- West of High Island to Sargent Texas
- East of Morgan City Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River, including New Orleans
- Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of lifethreatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov. This is a lifethreatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials.

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropicalstorm force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

Key messages for Delta can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT1, WMO header WTNT41 KNHC, and on the web at www.hurricanes.gov/text/MIATCDAT1.shtml.

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA to Morgan City, LA including Vermilion Bay...711 ft Holly Beach, LA to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, LA...58 ft Sabine Pass to Holly Beach, LA...47 ft Morgan City, LA to Port Fourchon, LA...47 ft Port Fourchon, LA to the Mouth of the Mississippi River...35 ft Calcasieu Lake...35 ft High Island, TX to Sabine Pass...24 ft Mouth of the Mississippi River to Mouth of the Pearl River...24 ft Lake Borgne...24 ft Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas...13 ft Mouth of the Pearl River, LA to the AL/FL border including Mobile Bay...13 ft Sabine Lake...13 ft Port O'Connor, TX to High Island, TX including Galveston Bay...13 ft

It is important to note that small changes in the track, structure, or intensity of Delta could have large impacts on where the highest storm surge occurs. Users are urged to stay tuned for possible changes and updates.

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surgerelated flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by this afternoon, with tropical storm conditions expected within this area later this morning. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning areas later today.

RAINFALL: Today through Saturday, Delta is expected to produce 5 to 10 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches, from southwest into central Louisiana. These rainfall amounts will lead to significant flash, urban, small stream flooding, along with minor to major river flooding.

For extreme east Texas into northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas, and western Mississippi, Delta is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches. These rainfall amounts will lead to flash, urban, small stream, and isolated minor river flooding.

As the remnants of Delta move further inland, 1 to 3 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts, are expected in the Tennessee Valley and Mid Atlantic this weekend. There is a potential for 3 to 6 inches in the Southern Appalachians, which could lead to isolated flash, urban, and small stream flooding.

TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight over southern portions of Louisiana and Mississippi.

SURF: Swells from Delta are affecting portions of the northern and western Gulf coast. These swells are likely to cause lifethreatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Delta was located near latitude 26.9 North, longitude 93.7 West. Delta is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue today followed by a northnortheastward motion by tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Delta will move inland within the hurricane warning area this evening.

Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Delta is a category 3 hurricane on the SaffirSimpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Slow weakening is expected to begin as Delta approaches the northern Gulf coast later today, with rapid weakening expected after the center moves inland.

Hurricaneforce winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropicalstormforce winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure based on data from the Air Force Hurricane Hunters and NOAA buoy 42002 is 953 mb (28.15 inches).

Delta has been generally steady in strength during the past several hours as it starts to close in on the southwestern Louisiana coast. An eye has occasionally been evident in geostationary satellite images, and deep convection remains quite intense around that feature. The Air Force Hurricane Hunters recently found have been investigating Delta this morning, and recently reported maximum flight-level winds of 125 kt and peak SFMR surface winds of 99 kt. Based on a blend of this data, the initial intensity is held at 105 kt. The hurricane appears to be leveling off in strength as recent microwave passes show some asymmetry in the eyewall and vertical tilt due to southwesterly shear. The core of the hurricane passed very close to NOAA buoy 42002 a few hours ago, and the pressure at the buoy fell to 953 mb. The buoy also reported peak winds around 70 kt and a significant wave height of about 35 ft.

The major hurricane is now moving northward at 10 kt. The trackforecast models remain quite consistent. Delta is forecast tocontinue moving northward today and then turn north-northeastwardtonight between a ridge over the western Atlantic and a trough overthe south-central United States. This motion is expected to takethe core of the hurricane to the Louisiana coast this evening.After landfall, a turn to the northeast is forecast as a largertrough moves eastward toward Delta, and that motion should continueuntil the cyclone dissipates over Tennessee or Kentucky in a fewdays. The models remain tightly clustered, and only minor tweakswere made to the previous NHC track forecast.

Delta is expected to move over waters with progressively lower oceanic heat content as it approaches the Louisiana coast. These less favorable oceanic conditions combined with an increase in southwesterly shear should cause Delta to weaken a little before it moves onshore. Regardless, Delta is forecast to be near major hurricane intensity when it makes landfall and significant impacts are expected (see Key Messages below). After landfall, rapid weakening is anticipated and Delta is forecast to fall below hurricane strength tonight or early Saturday and dissipate in about 3 days.