Hurricane closes on US Gulf Coast
Hurricane Ida is weakening as it heads for the Gulf Coast but could still pack hurricane-strength winds and storm surges when it hits the shore overnight.
Despite warnings extending more than 200 miles across several states, residents seemed to take the first Atlantic hurricane to target the US this season in their stride.
There were no immediate plans for mandatory evacuations.
"Even though we're telling everybody to be prepared, my gut tells me it probably won't be that bad," said Steve Arndt, director of Bay Point Marina Co in Panama City, Florida.
The US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said top sustained winds from the Category 1 hurricane had decreased to nearly 80mph from about 90mph.
Hurricane warnings remain in effect from Pascagoula, Mississippi, east to Indian Pass, Florida. Tropical storm warnings and hurricane watches are in effect across neighbouring areas including New Orleans. Forecasters said Ida could make landfall on Monday night or early on Tuesday.
Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency as a precaution, and the National Guard was on high alert if assistance was needed.
Earlier, heavy rain in Ida's wake triggered flooding and landslides in El Salvador that killed 124 people. One mudslide covered the town of Verapaz, about 30 miles outside the capital, San Salvador.
Earlier, Ida was located about 235 miles south-south-east of the mouth of the Mississippi River and moving north-north-west at nearly 16mph.
The latest storm track projection from the National Hurricane Centre showed Ida brushing near Louisiana and Mississippi, then making landfall near Alabama before continuing across north Florida.