Tuesday, August 25, 2020

NHC Key Messages: Laura Forecast To Become A Major Hurricane

 











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The models, and the NHC's daily forecast discussions, have been hinting at it for several days - but this morning the National Hurricane officially upgraded their forecast for T.S. Laura to rapidly intensify into a major (CAT 3) hurricane as it races towards a northern Gulf of Mexico landfall over the next 48 hours. 

The 5 am headline from the NHC reads:

...LAURA NOW FORECAST TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE OVER THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON WEDNESDAY... ...ADDITIONAL HURRICANE WATCH AREA ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF TEXAS...

While Hurricane Marco fell apart (as forecasted) as it approached landfall yesterday, the same is not expected for Laura.  This morning's key messages from the NHC read:



The NHC's 5am wind forecast has increased to 115 MPH, although some models suggest even more strengthening is possible. 

Laura has the potential to be a very destructive storm, and there may be some additional refinement as to its forecast track over the next 24 hours.  Residents from Texas to Louisiana should be making their final preparations for a significant event over the next 24 - 36 hours. 

While Laura is expected to become the 1st major hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season, it isn't even September, and we are likely to see four or five more.   

Those in the path of Laura now have a little over a day and half to prepare and/or evacuate.  For those who live outside of the danger zone, now is the time to begin to prepare for the threats that will undoubtedly present themselves over the next 60 days. 

To get you started, my May 2020 series on Hurricane prep.

  

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