Delta weakens to a depression

After Hurricane Delta made landfall Friday evening as a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph near Creole, Louisiana, it has continually weakened overnight and through this morning and as of 10am become a depression.

With 35mph sustained winds and 45mph gusts, the storm has now turned more to the northeast and has increased its forward motion to 16mph.

The biggest threat is still rain with 2-4 inches likely along its path with some isolated amounts possible as much as 6-10 inches for the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.

Wind

Cameron and Lake Charles, Louisiana, which took a direct hit from Hurricane Laura, stayed on the “clean” side of Delta -- west of the eye. That means they missed the strongest winds from the storm, even though wind gusts were still at or above hurricane strength at times. While some damage is unavoidable from Delta, the worst-case-scenario has been avoided.

Compared to Laura, Delta is not as strong and not as well-organized.

In Houston, winds will be under 10mph today as Delta pulls farther away. All tropical storm watches and warnings for the Houston Metro have been cancelled as have coastal flood advisories and Rip Current Advisories.

Rain

Rainfall will be non existent for the Houston region today and for most of the next ten days. Unofficial Doppler indicated rainfall for Delta are estimated from 4-10 inches along the southwest to northeast path of the storm.

Delta’s Path

Delta was the 25th storm of the 2020 hurricane season and was the 10th to make a U.S. landfall in a season, the most ever, beating the old record of nine set back in 1916. Delta made landfall near Creole Louisiana, only about 12 miles to the east of the track of Hurricane Laura six weeks earlier. It was the 4th named storm to impact Louisiana this season following Cristobal, Marco and Laura.

What’s left?

Moderate wind and rain will continue along Delta’s track through the next couple of days as the storm weakens to a remnant low and continues to move toward the east coast. Tornadoes are a risk ahead of the storm today.