Nate strengthens as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico
Nate strengthened into a hurricane late Friday as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said, citing Air Force hurricane hunters.
Nate had maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour. The center of Nate is expected to move across the Gulf of Mexico overnight and on Saturday, and will make landfall along the central U.S. Gulf coast Saturday evening or Saturday night, the National Hurricane Center said.
A hurricane warning is in effect on portions of the Gulf Coast from Louisiana and Alabama.
The National Hurricane Center said life-threatening storm surge along portions of the Gulf Coast, and a surge warning is now in effect for Morgan City Louisiana to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line Florida.
Nate is expected to heavy rainfall from three to six inches fom the central Gulf Coast into the Deep South, eastern Tennessee Valley, and southern Appalachians, and some areas could get up to 10 inches. Isolated tornadoes are possible beginning Saturday afternoon over parts of the central Gulf Coast region.
The government of Mexico discontinued the Hurricane Watch along the Yucatan peninsula.
Authorities canceled Friday afternoon classes in parts of Mexico's Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo, where Cozumel and Cancun are located. But Gov. Carlos Joaquin said it appeared the storm would stay well offshore and not hit land, adding "that, I believe, is good news."
In Nicaragua, Nate's arrival followed two weeks of near-constant rain that had left the ground saturated and rivers swollen. Authorities placed the whole country on alert and warned of flooding and landslides.
Nicaragua's vice president and spokeswoman, Rosario Murillo, said that at least 11 people had died in that country due to the storm. Earlier Thursday she had said 15 people had died before later revising to say some of those were still counted as missing. She didn't give details on all the deaths, but said two women and a man who worked for the Health Ministry were swept away by a flooded canal in the central municipality of Juigalpa.
Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Organism blamed seven deaths in that country on the storm and said 15 people were missing. Flooding drove 5,000 residents into emergency shelters.
In Honduras, there were three dead and three missing, according to Oscar Triminio, spokesman for the country's firefighters.
Damage caused by the storm prompted Costa Rican officials to postpone a World Cup qualifying soccer match between that country and Honduras, which had been scheduled for Friday night.
In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency and mobilized 1,300 National Guard troops, with 15 headed to New Orleans to monitor the fragile pumping system there.
With forecasts projecting landfall in southeast Louisiana as a Category 1 hurricane, Edwards urged residents to ready for rainfall, storm surge and severe winds - and to be where they intend to hunker down by "dark on Saturday."
Louisiana's governor said Nate is forecast to move quickly, rather than stall and drop tremendous amounts of rain on the state. State officials hope that means New Orleans won't run into problems with its pumps being able to handle the water.
Edwards warned, however, against underestimating the storm.