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 is gaining strength over warm open waters in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Tuesday’s GOES-16 infrared satellite loop shows the storm moving away from western Cuba into open waters in the central Gulf.

Laura is expected to intensify and reach major hurricane strength over the next 24 hours. Forecast models and the current forecast from NOAA’s National Hurricane Center flare Laura to a category 3 hurricane Wednesday with 115 mph winds.

Laura’s hurricane spaghetti model track forecasts are tightly clustered around a landfall after midnight Wednesday night into early Thursday morning near the Texas-Louisana border.

Storm surge with Laura looks very significant. Current storm surge forecasts push a wall of water between 6 and 13 feet along the Lousiana coast.

One factor that could add to coastal inundation is the high tide of around 2 feet which occurs close to expected landfall time early Thursday morning.

Hurricane Laura is likely to cause significant storm surge damage along the Lousiana coast.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Hurricane Laura likely intensifies to a major hurricane Wednesday.

Hurricane Laura likely intensifies to a major hurricane with 115 mph winds Wednesday

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