PRAY: "Life-altering" Hurricane Ida bears down on Louisiana 

Residents along parts of the Gulf of Mexico coast are preparing for what has been called a potentially "life-altering" hurricane. Meteorologists now say Hurricane Ida is expected to hit land with winds as strong as 155 mph (250 km/h).

The storm is currently at a Category 4, with winds around 150 mph and is expected to make landfall Sunday afternoon.

"This will be a life-altering storm for those who aren't prepared," says National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott during a news conference with Louisiana governor, John Bel Edwards.

Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, LA says in a Facebook post made Saturday, "We are praying for you & your family's peace and protection! We’re praying that the Lord brings peace to your mind and guides you during this time!"

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Police in the city of Slidell, LA took time to pray with their chaplain before heading out to prepare to respond to emergencies in the midst of the storm.

"We pray for your protection of property, Lord," Slidell Police Department Chaplain Jeff Nave says in prayer over officers. "But most of all, we pray that you would protect life, that you would keep us safe, that you would give us wisdom to respond to unique situations in a way that honours you."

According to  Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University specializing in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts, only four continental US landfalling hurricanes on record since 1851 have had winds as strong as 155 mph. "Labor Day (1935), Camille (1969), Andrew (1992) & Michael (2019). All of those were Cat 5 (>156 mph)," he says in a tweet.

Ida will make landfall on August 29, the same day that Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.

The Southern District of The Lutheran Church Mo. Synod asks all Christians to pray for those in the impact zone.

"We pray for those in the path of the hurricane and ask you to preserve life and property," a prayer posted on their Facebook page says. "Grant your people in the midst of the storm your peace,  then give us willing hearts to bless and serve our neighbours in the aftermath."