Hurricane Delta is a powerful Category 2 cyclone

Louisiana on red alert for storm surge up to 3 meters 9:42

(CNN) -

Hurricane Delta has weakened slightly and is now a strong Category 2 hurricane with winds of 177 km / h, according to the 2:00 p.m. (Miami time) advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

There may be smaller fluctuations in intensity until the storm reaches shore.

Yet Delta is only a little over 1 km per hour from becoming a major hurricane.

• Hurricane Delta is moving directly towards communities that are still recovering from the passage of Laura

Hurricane Delta is expected to make landfall when the center of the storm is more than halfway ashore Friday night over southwestern Louisiana as a severe Category 2 storm.

Tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains have already hit parts of the Louisiana and Texas coasts.

Hurricane-force winds and peak storm surge are expected late in the afternoon into the evening.

Hurricane Delta