The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for the northern Gulf Coast in advance of what is forecast to be a strong strike from what will become Hurricane Ida Sunday into Monday.

The hurricane watch stretches from Cameron, Louisiana, to the Mississippi-Alabama state line. This watch includes the New Orleans metro area.

Hurricane watches are typically issued 48 hours in advance of when tropical storm-force winds are expected to arrive, since these conditions make it difficult to make preparations for a hurricane, once they begin.

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In this case, tropical storm-force winds could arrive on the northern Gulf Coast as soon as Saturday night or Sunday morning.

A storm surge watch has also been issued from the Texas-Louisiana state line to the Alabama-Florida state line, including Vermilion Bay, Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and Mobile Bay. This means dangerous flooding from storm surge is possible within the next 48 hours.

Lastly, a tropical storm watch has been issued along the Alabama coast, where tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours.

If you're in the watch area, the time is now to get your hurricane plan ready to go. Check back with us at weather.com for the latest forecast updates and heed any evacuation orders from local emergency management officials.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.