Storm Surge/Tide — Lower Plaquemines, Louisiana

2020-10-28 · Lower Plaquemines, Louisiana

Event narrative

Zeta produced storm surge that overtopped a local levee in the Myrtle Grove area, resulting in the inundation of pasture land. A USGS gauge near Point A La Hache reported a peak water level of 5.70 ft NAVD88. The West End (PSTL1) gauge measured a peak of 2.54 ft MHHW. The West End (PILL1) gauge measured a peak of 1.57 ft MHHW. The Amer Bay Palh (PLHL1) gauge measured a peak of 5.70 ft NAVD88. The Delecroix (CBDL1) gauge measured a peak of 5.47 ft NAVD88. The Empire (EWEL1) gauge measured a peak of 5.26 ft NAVD88. The Black Bay Pahl (PSIL1) gauge measured a peak of 4.68 ft NAVD88. The Caernarvon (COCL1) gauge measured a peak of 3.45 ft NAVD88. Higher water levels likely occurred on the west bank of the parish where there are no official gauges.

Wider weather episode

A tropical depression formed in the northwestern Caribbean on the afternoon of October 24th. 9 hours later, it became the twenty-seventh named storm and eleventh hurricane of the exceptionally active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. After meandering virtually in the same place, it finally began moving northwest and slowly strengthening before making its first landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula on October 26th. Zeta exited the Yucantan Peninsula weaker but still a strong tropical storm. The path of the storm began shifting from northwest to northeast, and heading straight towards Louisiana. In terms of intensity, Zeta slowly but steadily strengthened from this point all the way up until landfall. It reached the highest wind speed possible of a Category 2 storm, 110 mph. Zeta produced extensive wind damage across southeast Louisiana with measured sustained winds up to 87 mph and gusts up to 110 mph. Thousands of power poles were downed and thousands of homes experienced minor damage. Storm surge ranged from a few feet to several feet. There were a total of 1 fatality and 1 injury. Hurricane Zeta caused approximately $1 billion worth of damage.

Zeta was the record-tying sixth hurricane to make landfall in the United States and the record fifth named storm to strike Louisiana in 2020.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 925306. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.