Another hurricane is churning through the Gulf of Mexico and bearing down on national parks.
Another hurricane is tearing through the Gulf of Mexico, prompting units of the National Park System in Mississippi and Florida to close to prepare for the bad weather.
Hurricane Zeta, the 27th named storm of the year, was moving to the north-northwest Monday afternoon, but was expected to hook to the east by Wednesday.
"An initial area of heavy rains will begin to impact the central Gulf Coast Tuesday night, spreading north into the Tennessee Valley on Wednesday," the National Hurricane Center said. "The core of the heavy rains associated with Zeta will push northeast from eastern Louisiana across southern Mississippi, Alabama and northern Georgia through Wednesday night, and through the southern Appalachians into the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday.
"Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches with isolated amounts of 6 inches are expected across these areas, resulting in flash, urban, small stream, and minor river flooding."
With that forecast in hand, officials at Gulf Islands National Seashore that spans parts of Mississippi and Florida announced that the Davis Bayou Area and Mississippi islands including, Ship, Horn, Petit Bois, and West Petit Bois islands, as well as the NPS-owned portion of Cat Island, would close at 5 p.m. local time Monday "in anticipation of intense winds, rough seas, and heavy rain.
"A mandatory evacuation of the Davis Bayou Campground will occur Tuesday, October 27, with all campers expected to leave the area by 12 p.m. The severe weather is anticipated to cause flooding of roads and coastal areas."
On the Florida side of the national seashore, the Perdido Key/Johnson Beach Area was to close at 5 p.m. local time Monday.
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