Even Weakened, Ida Still Packs Winds of About 100 mph

Nov. 9, 2009— -- The rare late-season hurricane named Ida is moving across the Gulf of Mexico and bearing down upon several Gulf Coast states, prompting hurricane warnings and evacuations.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warnings for southeastern Louisiana that stretches to the Florida Panhandle. It does not include the city of New Orleans, the hurricane center said.

Heavy rains are expected to be the worst of the hurricane.

Ida has weakened from a Category 2 to a Category 1 storm, with maximum expected sustained winds expected of 95 mph.

Coastal residents in Grand Isle, La., are already packing up their belongings, and Gov. Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency.

"People are already heading out," said Grand Isle resident Neal Perrillioux. "They aren't taking any chances."

Stretches of southeast Louisiana outside of levee protection are the main concern. Forecasters say those areas could experience flooding.

Parts of northern Florida have cancelled school, and lowland evacuations are being encouraged. Winds are stirring as far south as Miami.

In the Gulf itself, oil companies are on high alert, evacuating workers and halting production on some platforms.

November hurricanes are rare. The last one to make landfall in the U.S. this late in the season was Hurricane Kate in 1985.