In southeastern Louisiana, hurricane force wind was observed to the MS/LA state line and across most of southeast Louisiana including New Orleans to near Baton Rouge.

Ida’s lowest pressure tumbled to 930 MB at 8AM EDT. Top wind is now 150 mph. An elevated platform at Southwest Pass, LA measured a wind speed at 105 mph with gusts to 121 mph at 8AM EDT. Ida continues to intensify.

Warm waters off the coast of Louisiana support the possibility of Ida becoming a category-4 major hurricane.

Glancing at the SST across the Gulf of Mexico reveals normally warm 29C/85F in the southeast Gulf although north of the Yucatan Peninsula is cooler than normal. In the central Gulf SST warms slightly to a near normal 85.5F. However, the west-central/east-central Gulf of Mexico are warmer than normal (86F-86.5F) and somewhat warmer than normal in the northwest Gulf (87F).