By Scottie Andrew and Christina Maxouris, CNN

(CNN) -- Hurricane Delta is expected to strengthen as it churns toward the northern Gulf Coast before hitting Louisiana on Friday at Category 2 strength in almost the exact spot Hurricane Laura hit just six weeks ago.

Delta, now a powerful Category 2 storm that just slammed Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, is forecast to bring "life-threatening" storm surge and dangerous winds to US Gulf Coast communities before it drenches areas much further inland in the following days, the National Hurricane Center said.

Already a record-breaking storm, Delta is predicted to hit southwest Louisiana with sustained winds of 110 miles per hour and a storm surge as high as 11 feet, CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers said. In those same areas, many homeowners are still living without roofs after Laura tore through and also destroyed parts of Louisiana's power grid.

"You don't have any time after today to prepare for this storm," Myers said Thursday. "Tomorrow will be too late."

A hurricane warning extends from east of Sabine Pass, on the Texas-Louisiana border, to Morgan City, Louisiana, with a storm surge warning in effect from Sabine Pass to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne.

Delta is forecast to strike the coast "literally less than 25 miles" from where Laura made landfall in August, Myers said.

"On top of the damage you already have, that just exacerbates the damage because things are already loose, things are still going to be flying around," he said.

Residents of Lake Charles, Louisiana, left in shambles by Laura, were bracing again this week for disaster.

"There are still many people going through pain and struggle," Mayor Nic Hunter wrote on Facebook. "If there ever was a community that could make it through 2020, it would be Lake Charles. I firmly believe we are up to the task."

Parts of Louisiana could see up to 11 feet of water

Delta could unleash a powerful storm surge and tide that will flood areas near the coast that are usually dry, the National Hurricane Center said. Storm surge happens when "a strong storm's wind push(es) water on-shore," said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller. "The wind literally piles up the ocean water and pushes it on the land."

Areas from Pecan Island to Port Fourchon in Louisiana, including Vermilion Bay, could see up to 11 feet of water, while places from Cameron to Pecan Island could see up to 7 feet of water, the hurricane center said.

"The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves," it said.

Delta also could also drop up to 8 inches of rain Friday and Saturday across parts of the central Gulf Coast to the Middle Mississippi Valley, the center said. As the storm moves further inland, the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic could also see several inches of rain.

Cameron Parish -- the furthest west along Louisiana's coast -- has ordered a mandatory evacuation for the "majority" of the parish, the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness said in a news release.

"These are unprecedented circumstances, and we realize a large portion of our residents are still displaced due to Laura," the office said.

Officials also issued a mandatory evacuation in Calcasieu Parish, saying they expect powerful winds to begin late Thursday night. Hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area by Friday evening, the hurricane center said.

Devastated communities await another disaster

Louisiana has faced the brunt of an active hurricane season. Delta is forecast to be the fourth named storm to make landfall in the state in 2020, setting a record for the most there in one season.

Laura, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm with 150-mph winds, left 15 people dead and others without power for weeks. The storm also knocked out the clean water supply for thousands of residents.

More than 10,000 homes in southwest Louisiana were destroyed in the storm, and 35,000 homes sustained "major damage," Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a Wednesday news conference.

More than 6,000 evacuees from that storm remain in hotels throughout Louisiana, while another 2,000 are housed in Texas, he said.

"This is the reality that many homeowners are facing as we prepare for Delta," Edwards said. "Obviously, it's not a very good situation."

Mississippi and Texas prepare for storm

Ahead of Delta, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency, urging residents to "prep for the worst."

"At this time, the heaviest rain and strongest wind is projected to be felt Friday afternoon through midday Saturday across Southwest Mississippi and further north along the Mississippi River," the governor's office said in a Wednesday statement.

In Texas, the governor announced the state was preparing resources so it could be ready to respond.

"As Hurricane Delta moves through the Gulf, the State of Texas is supporting communities along the Gulf Coast and providing the resources they need to respond to this storm," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a news release.

"Texans in the path of this storm should continue to heed the guidance and direction of local officials, remain cautious, and remember - Turn Around, Don't Drown. We will continue to monitor Hurricane Delta and work alongside our local partners to keep Texans safe."