Hurricane Nate: Latest Louisiana Need-To-Know Facts

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Hurricane Nate made landfall at the mouth of the Mississippi River about 7 p.m. local time Saturday, bringing with it the potential for deadly storm surge. Residents were encouraged to shelter in place until the storm passes. Elevated tides will continue to increase from an Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Mississippi River to the Alabama/Florida border.

Here are the latest need-to-know facts. Share this post with your friends and neighbors on Facebook and Twitter. (Sign up for newsletters and real-time news alerts from New Orleans Patch, or find your local Louisiana Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

• Hurricane Nate, which raced toward the Gulf Coast with the speed of a sprinter, is the fastest forward-moving hurricane on record, the National Weather Service said.
• Boaters rescued: Boaters in two sailboats were rescued Saturday, one on Lake Pontchartrain and the other on the Mississippi Sound.
• Love trumps Nate: At least two couples went on with their wedding plans, despite the hurricane bearing down on New Orleans.
• Shelters opening: Several shelters have opened in the New Orleans area for people in mandatory evacuation areas.
• Watch the action live: Residents were encouraged to hunker down by mid-afternoon Saturday, but several webcams around the city provide real-time looks at conditons.
• Early voting ends early: Early voting ended early in Orleans, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Plaquemines Parishes, which will probably be the first parishes affected by dangerous winds and storm surges from Hurricane Nate.
• Storm-surge warnings: The National Weather Service in New Orleans issued a storm surge warning Saturday morning for several areas in and around the city.
• Mandatory evacuation orders: Several parishes around New Orleans proper are under evacuation orders as Hurricane Nate approaches.
• What Kenner needs to know: Jefferson Parish President Michael Yenny declared a state of emergency throughout the parish, which includes Kenner, Metairie, Barataria, Crown Point, Grand Isle and Lafitte.
• What’s closed in New Orleans: Several city services have closed until the storm passes, but others will be operating around-the-clock for the duration of the storm.

Haley Sensebe, left, and Bernard Oser, board up their home in Violet, Louisiana, in preparation for Hurricane Nate, expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast, Saturday. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)