Gustav now down to Category 1 (video)

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

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GUSTAV WEAKENS TO A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE, CENTER APPROACHING NEW IBERIA AND LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS EASTWARD TO THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER, INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAIN IN EFFECT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE FLORIDA-ALABAMA BORDER. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA, INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS, PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 200 PM CDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GUSTAV WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.9 NORTH - LONGITUDE 91.5 WEST - OR JUST NORTHEAST OF FRANKLIN LOUISIANA.

THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT ABOUT 35 MILES (55 KM) SOUTHEAST OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH (26 KM/HR) AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A DECREASE IN THE FORWARD SPEED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL TRACK ALONG THE SOUTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA COAST FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON, THEN MOVE INTO WESTERN LOUISIANA TONIGHT AND EASTERN TEXAS ON TUESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 90 MPH (145 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

GUSTAV IS NOW A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.

ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST AS THE CENTER OF GUSTAV MOVES INLAND OVER LOUISIANA. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 50 MILES (80 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES (325 KM).

NEW IBERIA RECENTLY REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 75 MPH (121 KM/HR). THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 962 MB (28.26 INCHES). AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 14 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDAL LEVELS IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF GUSTAV CROSSES THE COAST. GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF LOUISIANA, SOUTHERN AND WESTERN MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS AND NORTHEASTERN TEXAS, WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 20 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY. A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE CENTRAL GULF COAST TODAY. *************************