Hurricane Laura – Day 7

Position: 29.2N 93.2W [11PM CDT 0400 UTC].
Movement: North-Northwest [340°] near 15 mph [24 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 150 mph [240 kph].
Wind Gusts: 175 mph [280 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 205 miles [335 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 60 miles [ 95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 938 mb ↓.

Currently about 60 miles [ 95 km] South of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Currently about 405 miles [ 650 km] West-Southwest of Cinco Bayou, Florida.

High tide is set for 11:45PM CDT which means the storm surge will be on top of the high tide when the storm comes ashore. Louisiana can’t catch a break…

At 8PM CDT the pressure is still dropping and approaching the Category 5 range. Hopefully Marco stirred up and cooled off the coastal waters with his rains because this storm is less than 10 MPH from being a Cat 5, which is more symbolic than anything. The shape of the coast is going to allow a 20 foot wall of water topped by waves to wash ashore, as happened to Waveland, Mississippi when Katrina came ashore almost 15 years to the day ago.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for from San Luis Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Sargent to San Luis Pass, Texas; east of Intracoastal City, Louisiana to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from Freeport, Texas to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, including areas inside the Port Arthur Hurricane Flood Protection system.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for east of Intracoastal City to west of Morgan City, Louisiana.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]