Photo: NOAA
Ida has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm. On the forecast track, the center of Ida will move farther inland over southeastern Louisiana early this morning and move into southwestern Mississippi later this morning. Ida is then forecast to move over central and northeastern Mississippi this afternoon and tonight, and move across the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased near 60 mph with higher gusts. Additional rapid weakening is forecast during the next day or so, and Ida is expected to become a tropical depression by this evening.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Ida is leaving New Orleans in the dark. The entire city lost power after transmission lines were knocked out. Over one million people are still without power.
The storm hit the state yesterday as a Category Four, killing at least one person and blowing roofs off buildings. Crews worked overnight to rescue dozens trapped by floodwaters. The governor says the levees should hold but one already failed, putting two communities at risk.
Ida made landfall Sunday afternoon about two hours south of New Orleans.