Highlights

A hurricane watch (a hurricane poses a threat within several days) that covered the Gulf Coast from Morgan City, LA to just west of Pensacola, FL is extended to include Pensacola and the Florida Panhandle. As Opal undergoes rapid development, the watch is upgraded to a warning (a hurricane strike is likely within 24 hours) at 0300 UTC on 04-Oct-95. The warning covers Mobile, AL to Anclote Key, FL.

What to Observe

• Opal’s northern spiral bands interacting with a mid-latitude system
• The rotation of convection around the eye
• The intensity changes, strengthening and then weakening

Status

• Approximately 7-32 hours prior to landfall
• Upgrades from category 1 to category 4 then downgrades to category 3