Hurricane Delta takes aim at U.S. (Photo: National Hurricane Center, Miami)

Cancun, October 7 (RHC)-- In the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Delta strengthened rapidly prior to making landfall this morning just south of Cancun as a Category 2 storm.  Forecasters warned of life-threatening storm surges and sustained 120-mile-per-hour winds. 

Delta is forecast to move back over open water and will likely strengthen ahead of a second landfall late Friday on the U.S. Gulf Coast.  The governors of Louisiana and Alabama have declared states of emergency. 

The 2020 hurricane season is already the second most active on record, with 28 named storms.  Meteorologists are now naming storms after letters in the Greek alphabet after they ran out of letters for regular names.