Nate moves closer to Mississippi coast

Hurricane Nate is moving closer to the Mississippi coast and is expected to come ashore near Biloxi with winds of about 85 miles per hour.

The National Hurricane Center said Nate was about 35 miles south of Biloxi. Forecasters say it will make landfall within the next hour or two. After that, the centre of the storm will move across the Deep South, Tennessee Valley and central Appalachian Mountains through Monday.

Nate is expected to weaken after landfall.

The storm made its first landfall in a sparsely populated area of southeast Louisiana.

In the meantime, New Orleans’ mayor lifted a curfew as Hurricane Nate passed by and appeared to spare the city known for its all-night partying.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu said Saturday night that he lifted the curfew because the National Weather Service cancelled a hurricane warning for city.

He still recommends people shelter in place because of the tropical storm-force winds. Some of the watering holes along the well-known bar-hopping Bourbon Street closed while others stayed open, despite the curfew.

The streets were not as crowded as a typical Saturday night.