Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

A more intense Hurricane Zeta slams Louisiana

Zeta's winds reached 110 mph near landfall

Hurricane Zeta intensified more than forecast as it slammed into the Louisana coast Wednesday.

The storm’s sustained winds reached Category 2 at 110 mph in the 4 p.m. National Hurricane Center advisory.

BULLETIN Hurricane Zeta Advisory Number 17

NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL

400 PM CDT Wed Oct 28 2020

...ZETA MAKING LANDFALL IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA...

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION

  • LOCATION...29.2N 90.6W ABOUT 65 MI...100 KM SSW OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...175 KM/H

  • PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 25 DEGREES AT 24 MPH...39 KM/H

  • MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...970 MB...28.65 INCHES

Zeta’s storm geometry improved dramatically as it approached the Louisiana coast. The storm took on a compact concentric structure. That’s the sign of a well-organized storm.

The storm produced these incredible waves reaching 50 feet at times, near the eyewall at an offshore oil rig. The rig recorded wind gusts to 150 mph on the right side eyewall.

Zeta is the record-setting fifth-named storm to make landfall in Louisiana this year.

It also puts the record to 11 tropical cyclones to make a U.S. landfall in a season.