Hurricane Ida has developed off the southwest coast of Jamaica. Early track forecasts have the storm’s eye headed northwest for the central Louisiana coast, making landfall as either a Category 2 or 3 hurricane, some say maybe close to a Category 4, between late Sunday, Aug. 29 and early Monday, Aug. 30.

Should Hurricane Ida follow the projected track, its winds would likely cause some sugar cane lodging, and its rains may cause some flooding in southern Louisiana ahead of the 2021/22 harvest. Some damage to rice and cotton crops is also possible.

Agricultural processing infrastructure in southern and southeastern Louisiana will also be vulnerable, such as rice mills and sugar mills and refineries. Southeastern Louisiana, near New Orleans and Baton Rouge, may see the strongest winds.

Confidence in the storm’s track is still low at this point, and a shift in its direction would significantly alter potential damage to crops and infrastructure.

Hurricane Ida path forecast as of Aug. 27


Source: NOAA
D: Tropical Depression – wind speed less than 39 MPH
S: Tropical Storm – wind speed between 39 MPH and 73 MPH
H: Hurricane – wind speed between 74 MPH and 110 MPH
M: Major Hurricane – wind speed greater than 110 MPH
Posted by: Information Services
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