Hurricane Sally is strengthening and is expected to hit US shores on Tuesday

Satellite view of Hurricane Sally (left) and four tropical storms in the North Atlantic.

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The lull did not last.

Hurricane Sally strengthened in category 2 on Monday evening and now threatens the southeastern United States, warned the US meteorological services.

Carrying winds blowing up to 155 km / h, it could make landfall as early as Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center warned in its latest bulletin.

The hurricane could still "strengthen" in the evening of Monday and Tuesday morning, becoming "a dangerous hurricane when it moves on the coast", according to the institution.

Currently 170 km east of the mouth of the Mississippi, Sally is at risk of causing potentially fatal surges from Louisiana to Alabama.

New Orleans, devastated fifteen years ago by Hurricane Katrina, is one of the areas at risk.

Four more tropical storms in the North Atlantic

"Bad weather is not something to be taken lightly," warned Kay Ivey, governor of Alabama, after declaring a state of emergency for her state, neighboring Florida.

"We pray that Sally does not cause damage, but we must be ready," she insisted, urging the residents of her state to be extremely careful.

The hurricane season should be particularly active in the coming weeks: besides Sally, four other tropical storms have formed in recent days in the North Atlantic.

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