Hurricane Delta expected to become a major hurricane by late Tuesday

Tropical Storm Delta became a hurricane Monday evening and is expected to continue to undergo rapid intensification for at least the next two days.

As of 11 p.m., Hurricane Delta now has 80 mph winds with pressure down at 977 mb. It is moving to the west-northwest at 7 mph.

As Delta continues to move over the warm waters of the northwest Caribbean and into an area of low wind shear, conditions will be ideal for additional rapid strengthening. In fact, Delta is now forecast to become a Category 2 hurricane Tuesday morning, then strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by Tuesday night before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. That’s a jump of two categories in only 24 hours!

Right now, the official forecast has Delta making landfall as a hurricane along the Louisiana coast late Friday. There is still a high amount of uncertainty with both track and intensity, but the threat for dangerous storm surge, winds, and heavy rainfall is increasing everywhere from the Louisiana coast to the west Panhandle of Florida.

Elsewhere near the southern Gulf, Tropical Depression Gamma has lost its tropical characteristics and will continue to move inland over the Yucatan Peninsula as a remnant low.