Zeta weakening as it continues to race inland

Published: Updated:

At around 5pm EDT, Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie, Lousiana . Since then, it has rapidly moved inland, weakening with each passing hour as it does so.

As of 11pm, Zeta is now a Category 1 hurricane with 80 mph maximum sustained winds. The storm is near the Mississippi-Alabama border, moving to the northeast at a fast 31 mph.

Zeta will continue to move farther inland, moving through Alabama and northern Georgia tonight, before reaching western North Carolina by Thursday morning as a tropical storm.

Due to Zeta’s quick movement, significant rainfall accumulation with this tropical system are not anticipated. Rainfall totals will peak from 2 to 4 inches, with isolated higher amounts, from the central Gulf Coast today and the Ohio Valley to the central Appalachians tonight.

Eventually, the heavy rain will track from the central Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic tomorrow afternoon through Thursday evening. Significant standing water across these areas will result in flash, urban, small stream, and minor river flooding.

Because Zeta is such fast moving system, there will be a greater risk for wind damage and power outages farther inland. Because of that, Tropical Storm Warnings extend all the way from Mississippi up to southern Virginia!

Since Zeta is making its closest proximity to Southwest Florida today, expect wave heights to peak between 2 to 4 feet. A High Rip Current Risk is also expected now through Thursday evening for coastal Charlotte and Lee counties.

Be safe out there!

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