Update: West Alabama Bracing As Hurricane Zeta Makes Landfall

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Follow Patch here and on social media for updates as Hurricane Zeta is expected to move over Alabama Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. This story will be updated with new headlines and timestamps throughout the day as updates and information come in.

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4:30 p.m.: After further intensification in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Zeta was reported to have made landfall as a strong Category 2 storm shortly after 4 p.m. near Cocodrie, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds around 110 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The National Weather Service forecast office in Birmingham said it will be possible to see wind gusts in the range of 45-60 mph south of I-59 when the storm moves through central Alabama beginning Wednesday evening. High winds and heavy rain remain the primary concern for Tuscaloosa, with a marginal risk for tornadoes through Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

Different county and city emergency agencies confirmed to Patch that preparation efforts had been undertaken, but no issues had been reported by the public due to inclement weather conditions as of Wednesday afternoon.

As of Wednesday afternoon, schools across Tuscaloosa County had not announced changes to Thursday's school day.

1:30 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Tuscaloosa County as Hurricane Zeta strengthens to a Category 2 storm ahead of its landfall on the Louisiana coast. The advisory goes into effect Wednesday at 7 p.m. and will last until Thursday at 6 a.m.

ALSO READ: Hurricane Zeta Update: Significant Alabama Impact Expected

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox took to Twitter to caution the public of the possibility of winds causing power outages locally. He also said the city has activated its incident command center and will be mobilizing assets to respond if necessary. Emergency officials still believe the heaviest impacts felt by Tuscaloosa will be in the overnight hours Wednesday into Thursday morning.

8:30 a.m.: A Tropical Storm Watch and Flash Flood Watch remain in effect for Tuscaloosa County, both of which are expected to run through Thursday morning. As of the latest forecast, Zeta is expected to make landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 storm. Most of the Louisiana Gulf Coast is currently under a Hurricane Warning issued by the National Weather Service, while the entire Alabama Gulf Coast was placed under a Tropical Storm Warning.

Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday issued a state of emergency ahead of Zeta moving over Alabama, with the primary threats for the western portion of the state being wind and rain. The next update from the National Weather Service forecast office in Birmingham is expected around 10 a.m.

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