Hurricane watch in effect for southern Florida as Ida increases to Category 2

MIAMI (MCT) — A hurricane watch was issued for the tip of the Florida panhandle on Sunday afternoon, as Hurricane Ida strengthened to a category 2 hurricane while it bubbled in the Gulf of Mexico.

As of 4 p.m. EST, the National Hurricane Center said Ida’s winds had grown to 100 miles per hour. Within 36 hours, it could bring those strong winds and rain to the Panhandle as well as southern Louisiana. The city of New Orleans is not a part of the hurricane watch.

The affect on South Florida is expected to be minimal, said Chuck Caracozza, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service. Forecasters predict the storm, now about 95 miles from the western tip of Cuba, is expected to move in a northwest direction and end up near the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The storm should begin to weaken by Monday.

As they have over the last several days, forecasters stressed there was a high degree of uncertainty over Ida’s track and fate.

Forecasters said Ida could dump from three to five inches of rain over the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba, with 10 inches possible in isolated areas. Both areas also could see storm surges of three to four feet and dangerous surf and seas.

Mexico issued hurricane warnings for the Yucatan Peninsula from Playa del Carmen to Cabo Catoche, including Cancun and Cozumel. That means hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours.

Tropical-storm warnings were in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula from Punta Allen northward to San Felipe, western Cuba and the Isle of Youth. Grand Cayman Island discontinued warnings.
The state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, Fla., was monitoring Ida’s track and urging residents to do the same.