Tropical alerts were issued Thursday night ahead of Tropical Storm Nate.
NEW: Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches have been issued for parts of the northern Gulf Coast states in advance of #Nate pic.twitter.com/rZDejlaiVB
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 6, 2017
A Hurricane Watch was issued for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Also, a Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
A Storm Surge Watch was issued for sections of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
These alerts are issued 48 hours before conditions begin deteriorating.
Officials from these Gulf Coast states updates the public Thursday, telling them to make sure to take proper precautions ahead of the storm and even issuing state of emergencies.
State of emergency declared for the state of #Alabama in anticipation of #Nate per @GovernorKayIvey pic.twitter.com/wzfQPsCe19
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 5, 2017
JUST IN: @MayorLandrieu says he has declared a state of emergency for #NewOrleans. https://t.co/hsBwvuoZYN
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 5, 2017
"We know what it means to prepare for potential storms during hurricane season & Nate is no different," –@FLGovScott https://t.co/59jxjxCvqy pic.twitter.com/ZvJhIEf6Hz
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 5, 2017
As of the 11 p.m. update by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the center of Tropical Storm Nate was moving northwestward across eastern Honduras and just about to reach the waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea. The NHC says that despite moving over land for half the day, the storm continues to stay relatively intact and have a well-defined core.
Low shear and warm ocean waters should help Nate to strengthen once moving offshore.
The NHC says that rapid intensification is not out of the question, and Nate could be near hurricane intensity by the time it reaches the Yucatan coast in about 24 hours.
Hurricane Hunters is expected to travel through Nate overnight to further investigate the storm’s intensity and structure.
Here's the latest forecast regarding Tropical Storm #Nate pic.twitter.com/XqSNQne1Ce
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) October 6, 2017
Nate is forecasted to reach the northern Gulf Coast this weekend as a hurricane, and the threat of direct impacts from wind, storm surge, and heavy rainfall is increasing from Louisiana through the western Florida Panhandle.
Stay with WeatherNation for the very latest on Nate.