Hurricane warning in effect for New Orleans as Ida heads for Gulf Coast

A hurricane warning is in effect for New Orleans and a long stretch of Louisiana's coast as Ida heads north over the Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to make landfall along the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday as a major hurricane, according to forecasters.

The storm had maximum sustained winds on Saturday of 85 mph and is likely to undergo rapid intensification as it moves across the hot Gulf of Mexico waters. It is forecast to reach Category 4 status before making landfall. The forecast cone indicates possible landfall between Port Arthur, Texas, and Biloxi, Mississippi, with an emphasis on the Louisiana coast. This could still change, but the models generally agree on this track.