Tropical Storm Ida could hit the US Gulf Coast as a Hurricane Sunday

Tropical Storm Ida could hit the U.S. Gulf Coast near New Orleans this weekend as a powerful Hurricane, as it strengthened overnight, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported early Friday, issuing Hurricane and tropical storm watches for much of the area.

Ahead of the storm, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency late Thursday. Hurricane force winds of about 110 mph with gusts of 130 mph could hit the state, forecasters said.