The center of the storm is located 625 miles from Lake Charles, Louisiana, and it’s moving to the west-northwest at a rapid clip of 17 mph (28 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm’s minimum central pressure has dropped to 991 mb (29.26 inches).
Laura is expected to make a turn to the northwest by Wednesday. This will put the storm on a track to approach the Upper Texas and Southwest Louisiana coasts on Wednesday night and move inland near those areas on Thursday. There will be significant strengthening of the storm over the next 48 hours and Laura will become a major hurricane.
Hurricane #Laura is beginning to move into a very favorable environment for intensification — perhaps rapid intensification. Wind shear is low across the central Gulf of Mexico with above average sea surface temperatures overall., besides the small cold wake from #Marco. pic.twitter.com/42n3kvh6N6
— Hurricane Tracker App (@hurrtrackerapp) August 25, 2020
Hurricane conditions from Laura are possible by late Wednesday from San Luis Pass, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, according to the National Hurricane Center. Houston, the largest city in the region, is currently under a tropical storm watch. The city has very poor drainage systems and a propensity to flood. Residents will remember the overwhelming rainfall from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The NHC is saying we can expect Hurricane Laura to cause “devastating damage” to homes, trees and infrastructure. Laura will remain a tropical storm for at least a day after making landfall, bringing intense rainfall.
Dangerous storm surge expected across much of the Louisiana coast and parts of SE TX. Heed to all warnings and evacuation orders! #tropics #txwx #lawx #hurricanelaura #hurricane #laura #stormsurge @fox4 pic.twitter.com/NpZKMCdCy3
— Alberto Romero (@ARomero_WX) August 25, 2020
“The threat of widespread flash and urban flooding, along with small streams overflowing their banks, will be increasing Wednesday night into Thursday from far eastern Texas, across Louisiana, and Arkansas,” the NHC says. And once Laura moves inland, there will be danger from inland flooding as far north as Arkansas or southern Missouri.
Residents along the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts should prepare now for a hurricane strike. Follow any evacuation orders issued by local or state officials.
