A NOAA reconnaissance aircraft found Laura has strengthened to a hurricane over the southeast Gulf of Mexico this morning.
As of a special 7:15 AM CDT update from the National Hurricane Center, Laura had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. The minimum central pressure was down to 991 mb. Movement was west-northwest at 17 mph.
Forecast for Laura
Laura will be in an environment favorable for continued strengthening over at least the next 24 to 36 hours, and a period of rapid intensification is a distinct possibility.
The ECMWF, GFS, and UKMET all bring Laura to major hurricane status. As a result, the National Hurricane Center is now forecasting Laura to become a category 3. However, a category 4 is not out of the question.
A ridge (high pressure) will keep Laura moving west-northwest through tomorrow late tomorrow morning/tomorrow afternoon. After this time, a turn to the northwest and then north is expected.
Model guidance has converged on a landfall in either southeast Texas or southwest Louisiana tomorrow night/early Thursday.
Laura will bring a life-threatening storm surge, a potentially destructive wind impact, and heavy rain/flash flooding.
Watch Summary
A Hurricane Watch is in effect from San Luis Pass, TX to west of Morgan City, LA.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from San Luis Pass, TX to Free Port, TX and from Morgan City, LA to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect from San Luis Pass, TX to Ocean Springs, MS, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne.
