Hurricane Laura Forms; Forecast To Hit Gulf Coast As A Major Hurricane

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Hurricane Laura formed early Tuesday morning, as the storm’s center crossed into the Gulf of Mexico. Laura is forecast to make landfall along the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm.





NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES-East



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Hurricane Laura will gain strength as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico and will be a major hurricane when it makes landfall — likely near the Texas-Louisiana border, forecasters say.





National Weather Service



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National Weather Service




Hurricane Laura will gain strength as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico and will be a major hurricane when it makes landfall — likely near the Texas-Louisiana border, forecasters say.


National Weather Service

«There is a risk of life-threatening storm surge from San Luis Pass, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, within the next 48 hours, the NHC says, describing a a storm surge watch that is now in effect.

Category 3 storms like Laura is expected to become routinely cause «devastating damage to homes, trees and infrastructure, according to the National Weather Service. Recent Category 3 storms include Harvey, which hit Texas in 2017, and Rita, which hit Louisiana in 2005.

Laura is predicted to remain a tropical storm for at least a day after making landfall, bringing intense rainfall.

«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.

Over the weekend, Laura’s remnants are predicted to spread rains into the middle-Mississippi, lower Ohio and Tennessee Valleys.

• Hurricanes