Places outside of levee protections were under mandatory evacuation orders and shelters opened there. Streets in low-lying areas of Louisiana were already flooded. “But this is a very dangerous storm nonetheless.” “It’s going to hit and move through our area at a relatively fast rate, limiting the amount of time it’s going to drop rain,” Edwards said. John Bel Edwards urged residents to make final preparations quickly and stressed that Nate will bring the possibility of storm surge reaching up to 11 feet in some coastal areas. “Hurricane Nate is expected to bring life-threatening storm surges, strong winds and tornadoes that could reach across the panhandle.” “With Nate now reaching hurricane strength, it is absolutely critical that every family in Northwest Florida is fully prepared for potential impacts,” Scott said in a press release Saturday. Evacuation orders are in effect for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, affecting about 100,000 residents, according to the Governor’s Office.

Rick Scott issued a state of emergency for 29 Florida counties on Thursday. Nine shelters are open throughout Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. The Pensacola Airport closed at 6 p.m.Įvacuation orders are in effect for parts of Escambia County and is recommended for parts of Santa Rosa County, affecting about 100,000 residents. In Florida, a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch have been issued in the Florida Panhandle from east of the Okaloosa-Walton County line to Indian Pass. Another boat hit rocks in the Mississippi Sound and three people had to be plucked from the water. One 41-foot sailboat lost its engine in Lake Pontchartrain and two sailors were saved. Officials rescued five people from two sailboats in choppy waters before the storm.

“Everyone needs to understand that, that this is a significantly dangerous situation.” “This is the worst hurricane that has impacted Mississippi since Hurricane Katrina,” Mississippi Emergency Management Director Lee Smithson said Saturday.

Nate hurricane track