Delta becomes Category 2 hurricane as it moves toward Gulf of Mexico, forecast calls for late Friday landfall in U.S.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A newly formed tropical system in the Caribbean Sea strengthened into Hurricane Delta on Monday evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Delta has maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico.

As of the 5 a.m. update, Hurricane Delta is a Category 2 storm and moving 15 mph west-northwest. It’s around 420 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico.

Delta would be the first-ever hurricane named after a Greek letter to strike the U.S. mainland.

The forecast has the storm possibly reaching Category 4 strength around the Yucatán Penisula. At this point, it’s expected to make landfall in the U.S. somewhere between the Louisiana-Texas border and the Florida Panhandle possibly late Friday.

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In addition to Delta, Tropical Storm Gamma is currently in the Gulf of Mexico.

It is located just north of the Yucatan Peninsula. Gamma is expected to pretty much remain stationary for the next several days–meaning it will dump a lot of rain on the northern Yucatan Peninsula.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Gamma could bring heavy rainfall “that could result in significant flash flooding.

Stay up to date on the local forecast here.