Hurricane Eta could be in central Gulf by Veterans Day

A tracking chart for Hurricane Eta -- from when it began as a tropical depression between the coast of Venezuela and the island nations of Jamaica, Haiti and Dominican Republic, through its violent attack on Nicaragua and its neighbors and then into its projected path through Cuba, Florida and into the central Gulf of Mexico next week -- looks like a big numeral 2.

Eta is responsible for at least three deaths in Nicaragua.

The storrm that struck as a Category 4 monster Tuesday with 150 mph winds is now a tropical storm as it enters Honduras. It's path takes it back into the Caribbean as a depression. Eta is expected to strengthen again, possibly reaching Category 1 hurricane status as it approaches Cuba Saturday. Eta is then forecast to head north, punch Florida in the nose as a tropical storm with 69 mph winds and then spin into the Gulf. It will weaken to a tropical depression by Tuesday, still packing 35 mph winds.

The projected path does not extend beyond Veterans Day when this projection has the storm located between New Orleans and the Yucatan Peninsula -- closer to us than to Mexico.

The path could still change. Remember when the projection was for Eta to pass through Cuba, possibly brush Florida or the Keys on the way to the Bahamas and then up to Bermuda? It's almost like Eta heard those jokes that it would probably make a U-turn and visit Louisiana like so many of its Class of 2020 classmates have done this year.