The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is urging Louisiana residents to get their preparations done before Ida’s arrival. Jeff Palermo has the story
Cut 1 (32) “ …I’m Jeff Palermo”
____________________________________
Forecasters warn conditions in the Gulf are ripe for Hurricane Ida to rapidly develop into a major hurricane. Matt Doyle has the story.
Cut 2 (27)…I’m Matt Doyle.”
______________________________________
Hurricane Ida is projected to be a category three hurricane when it makes landfall sometime late Sunday night but forecasters warn it has the potential to hit category four.
State Climatologist Barry Keim says all the ingredients are there for rapid strengthening once it enters the Gulf later tonight.
Cut 3 (10) “…Louisiana”
Keim says sea surface temperatures out in the Gulf are just boiling hot right giving Ida plenty of fuel to feast on.
Cut 4 (08) “…storm.”
The hope is Ida fizzles out as it approaches the coast but Keim says right now the trend is in the opposite direction…
Cut 5 (10) “…advisories.”
_____________________________________
Governor John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency in response to Ida’s arrival as a major hurricane. The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness spokesperson Mike Steele says get all of your hurricane preparations done today and tomorrow
Cut 6 (12) “…to make.”
Steele says also prepare for multiple days without power, especially if you live in southeast Louisiana.
Cut 7 (09) “..now”
There’s a possibility Ida could be as strong as a Category Four storm when it makes landfall in Terrebonne Parish on Sunday night. Steele says Ida will pose a major threat well inland as it moves through Sunday night into Monday morning…
Cut 8 (08) “…power lines come down”
_______________________
The National Weather Service projects eight to twelve inches of rain will fall across Southeast Louisiana on Sunday and Monday as Ida approaches and then makes landfall.
NWS New Orleans forecaster Jared Klein says it’s too early to know where the worst rain will fall but we know this system has the potential to drop up to 20 inches of rain in isolated areas.
Cut 9 (05) “…Monday”
Klein warns residents to be wary of flash floods as heavy rains soak already saturated ground.
Cut 10 (09) “…vulnerable”
Peak storm surge projections call for seven to 11 feet from Lafourche Parish to St. Bernard Parish.
Cut 11 (11) “…coast”
_______________________
Utility providers are prepping for Ida’s arrival on Sunday and in an effort to restore power as safely and quickly as possible if needed. Vice President of Distribution at Entergy Louisiana John Hawkins Junior says their crews are on standby and they’ve called on extra contractors to assist.
Cut 12 (09) “…this storm.”
Residents should be prepared for the possibility of lengthy outages due to the expected intensity of Ida. Hawkins says personnel is going through their pre-storm checklists and making sure that additional supplies, including poles, transformers, and other equipment, are on hand.
Cut 13 (07) “…safely.”
Hawkins encourages Entergy customers if they aren’t signed up already to download the Entergy app on their smartphone and or sign up on their website for notifications in advance, for updates on restoration efforts.
Cut 14 (09) “..their outage”
Entergy New Orleans and Entergy Louisiana will also provide storm restoration updates through their Facebook and Twitter pages.
CLECO reports that they have also secured additional crews in anticipation of Ida.
_______________________________
Ida’s damaging hurricane-force winds not only threaten homes and businesses, farmland could also see significant damages. U-S-D-A meteorologist Brad Rippey says sugarcane farmers are keeping a close eye on Ida’s forecasted track…
Cut 15 (07) “…target zone”
Once Ida makes landfall, it’s expected to head northwest. Rippey says in the Mississippi Delta the rice harvest is just getting underway…
Cut 16 (14) “…days.”