Some Gulf Coast residents in the USA hunkered down at home and in shelters today, while others ventured outside to watch the approach of a rare late-season tropical storm that brought the potential for high winds, flooding and up to 200mm of rain in some places.

Ida is located about 60 km southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 200 km south-southwest of Pensacola. It was moving north-northwest near 28 kph and was expected to make landfall over the next few hours .
Ida had been the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic season, which ends Dec. 1, but weakened with maximum sustained winds 110 kph.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said it was expected to weaken further before making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Rain was already falling along the coastline and winds had kicked up the surf.