NATCHEZ — Up to 70 mile-per-hour wind gusts are possible in the Miss-Lou as early as Monday evening as Hurricane Gustav moves into the area.

On Saturday afternoon, the hurricane was a Category 4 and has been predicted by the National Weather Service to gain power in the Gulf of Mexico and grow to a Category 5.

Projected landfall has sped up to Monday afternoon and Gustav has been predicted to hit as a Category 4.

Senior Meteorologist Mike Edmonton of the National Weather Service in Jackson said Adams County is well within the cone of the hurricane.

He said if Gustav makes landfall between noon and 4 p.m. Monday, Adams County will feel the full force around 6 p.m. Monday night.

He said a tropical storm watch will probably be issued soon for the county.

Sustained winds are still predicted to be between 35 and 50 miles per hour and with gusts that could reach 70 miles per hour at times.

Spin-off tornados are a threat, as is heavy rainfall.

In response to the information and several conference calls with NWS on Saturday, Stan Owens, Adams County Emergency Management Agency director, said he encourages evacuees to continue to move north of Interstate 20.

Adams County Chapter of the Red Cross Chapter Manager Angie Brown agreed.

“I would go as far north as you could go,” she said. “The farther north they go, the safer they’ll be.”

In light of the knowledge of dangerous weather, Owens said he has decided to postpone the opening of shelters.

It was said before that the first shelter, Parkway Baptist Church, would open 24 hours prior to landfall, which would have been this afternoon.

“We don’t believe the evacuees should be put in this weather,” Owens said.

But that doesn’t mean preparations won’t continue.

“They are still on standby and are ready to open,” he said.

Starting today, winds could begin to pick up and showers and thunderstorms are possible.

Residents are urged to continue to prepare for an onslaught of inclement weather.

“It’s very, very possible that portions could be without power for easily three days,” Owens said.

Concordia Parish School District Superintendent Loretta Blankenstein announced that all schools in the parish district will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Natchez-Adams School District Superintendent Anthony Morris said, as of Saturday evening, all schools in the district are still open.