Ida forms, expected to slam the Gulf Coast as a Major Hurricane

Tropical Storm Ida forms in the Caribbean. Ida is a weak tropical storm with winds up to 40 mph. A rather quick intensification is expected late week and over the weekend. Ida is forecast to reach category 2 status Sunday morning, growing into a major category 3 hurricane late Sunday. Landfall is currently expected to occur along the Louisiana coast late Sunday or early Monday as a major category 3 hurricane.

Significant impacts are expected for the north-central Gulf Coast, spreading inland into the Mid-South, Tennessee Valley, parts of the Southeast, and parts of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic from early week through the end of the upcoming week.