Louisiana residents brace for Hurricane Delta
Delta's size grew and its winds intensified over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday. It was forecast to become a Category 3 storm with up to 115 miles per hour (185 kmh) winds before losing some punch Friday over cooler waters along the Gulf Coast.
"We've survived much worst," said Lafayette resident Rebecca Sebastian as she and two friends stopped in the city center to buy sweets. "We may have a few gusts of 100 mph winds but we've done this before."
Another Lafayette resident and architect Stephen Ortego echoed Sebastian's comments.
"You just hope for the best and prepare for the worst," Ortego said. "And I mean, there's going to be some worry no matter what. But we've been through it before."
The storm is expected to strike near Creole, Louisiana, as a category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. It could unleash tornadoes as it moves over land and drops up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain. The storm could drive a 4- to 11-foot (1.2-3.3 meters) storm surge up Vermilion Bay on the coast, the National Hurricane Center said.
If Delta increases on Thursday at its current, rapid rate, it could gain enough strength to slam the coast as a borderline major hurricane, said AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Kottlowski.
New Orleans likely will escape the storm and experience gusty winds and mild rain, said Kottlowski, with Lafayette the largest city on the storm's eastern and more dangerous side.
