Hurricane Delta is now Tropical Storm Delta and the center of the storm is near Monroe. The heaviest rains from Delta are now in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama, but northeast Louisiana is experiencing tropical storm-force winds at this hour.
There are widespread power outages. Entergy is reporting 313-thousand customers are without power. Cleco is reporting widespread outages in the Alexandria and New Iberia areas.
Delta came ashore last night as a Category Two hurricane in the town of Creole, which is located in Cameron Parish. Lake Charles reported wind speeds of 96-miles per hour. New Iberia recorded a wind speed of 90 miles per hour. The Lafayette and Opelousas areas recorded wind speeds of 75 miles per hour. Alexandria saw wind speeds at 45-miles per hour. And in Monroe, a 63-mile per hour wind gust was recorded at 1:30 this morning.
Not only is power out, but many roads are flooded from Hurricane Delta. A flash flood warning continues for Monroe, Ruston and West Monroe until 8:45 this morning. Natchitoches, Jena and Colfax are under a flash flood warning until 9 AM.
There have been some impressive rainfall totals from Delta even into Central and North Louisiana. Catahoula in Grant Parish has recorded 12 inches of rain. Jena almost ten inches, Natchitoches eight inches, and Monroe has seen over five inches of rain.
You have numerous roads closed because of flooding. The state department of transportation is reporting that I-10 West is closed on the Calcasieu River Bridge until further notice due to multiple incidents.