Hurricane Delta Now A Category 4 With 130 mph Winds

Hurricane Delta rapidly itensifies into a Category 4 with 130mph winds

By MARLENE LENTHANG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a Category 4 with 130 mph winds on Tuesday and is on course to hammer southeastern Mexico, then hit the US Gulf Coast later this week.  

On Tuesday Delta strengthened from a Tropical Storm into a roaring Category 4 'major' hurricane in the Caribbean Sea and is forecast to hammer Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula by Wednesday.  

However, it will weaken before spiraling up towards the US Gulf Coast, potentially hitting Louisiana or Florida's panhandle as a formidable Category 2 hurricane by Friday.  

Delta is currently 315 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, moving west-northwest at 16 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 11am update Tuesday. 

Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds on Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea and will hammer Mexico's Yucatan peninsula Wednesday before spiraling towards the US Gulf Coast with storm surge and rain by Thursday evening or Friday. Delta may potentially make landfall in the US Friday night

'The hurricane is in the midst of a very impressive rapid intensification episode, having strengthened over 50 [knots] during the past 24 hours,' NHC senior hurricane specialist Eric Blake said. 

Early Monday Delta was just a tropical depression. It exploded from a 40 mph tropical storm to a 130 mph Category 4 in just over 27 hours.