A potential hurricane could hit the northern east coast of the US.
Currently, there is a Tropical Storm Delta in the south of Jamaica which is gathering strength as it moves toward the Cayman Islands. This tropical storm could intensify into a Category 1 hurricane while clipping western Cuba and becoming stronger to hit the Gulf of Mexico later in this week. This could be the 10th storm to hit the U.S. when it makes landfall between Louisiana and Florida by Friday.
Its winds could reach 105 mph as it crosses the Gulf, making it a Category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Oct. 5. Delta’s intensity will depend on how much wind shear it has to fight off. Right now, wind shear looks to be fairly weak, making intensification likely.
Carriers and shippers should prepare for possible shut downs of roads and ports. On its current path, the storm will likely cause oil and natural gas production offshore of Louisiana to shut down, and it poses a threat to onshore refineries and shipping, said Jim Rouiller, lead meteorologist with the Energy Weather Group. Output from the Gulf has been disrupted several times this year from tropical storms and hurricanes moving through the region.
