The National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Ida is now a category two hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.
"Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional rapid strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours and Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it approaches the northern Gulf coast on Sunday."
The 1:00pm advisory says Ida is still on a path for a landfall of the eye near Morgan City, Louisiana.
"On the forecast track, the center of Ida will move over the southeastern and central Gulf of Mexico through tonight. Ida is then expected to make landfall along the coast of Louisiana within the hurricane warning area on Sunday, and then move inland ."
The Hurricane Center says the path has not been changing.
"The track guidance remains in remarkably good agreement through 36 hours, and the new NHC track forecast is essentially unchanged during that time, and continues to indicate that Ida will reach the coast of Louisiana on Sunday."
The eye is currently forecast to come ashore near Morgan City, Louisiana. If that track holds, Ida would have less severe impacts on the most populated areas of Southeast Louisiana. The path, however, could change. Any shifts to the east will increase what the New Orleans metro area experiences.
Where the worst of the impacts are felt, forecasters say it will be catastrophic damage.
The Hurricane Center says a category four hurricane leaves areas "uninhabitable" in its wake.
"Well-built framed homes can sustain severe damage with loss of most of the roof structure and/or some exterior walls. Most trees will be snapped or uprooted and power poles downed. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months."
Mandatory evacuations are in place for everyone in St. Charles Parish, Lafourche Parish and Terrebonne Parish. Everyone outside the levee protection is also a mandatory evacuation in Jefferson, Orleans, and Plaquemines Parish.
The rest of the area is under a voluntary evacuation.
