Posted on 08/24/2020 2:59:21 AM PDT by Libloather
HOUSTON - In the 4 a.m. Monday update, the track of Laura moved back slightly to the west. The center of the forecast cone is now in western Louisiana, but Houston is back in the forecast cone on the far western edge. This storm has been very difficult to forecast, so it can easily shift and should be watched closely. It is still expected to pick up steam as it moves across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
In Sunday's 10 p.m. update, Marco weakened to a tropical storm as it edged closer to the Louisiana coast. It had been a Category 1 hurricane, but the National Hurricane Center downgraded it. It's still expected to take a turn to the west and the Houston area remains in the cone.
The National Hurricane Center's track for Laura has it making landfall in western Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday evening. The track has been centered near the Texas-Louisiana border, and the 4 a.m. Monday update put Houston back in the cone - but just barely.
There is an increasing risk of storm surge, rainfall, and wind impacts along portions of the U.S. Gulf coast by the middle of the week.
Right now, Laura is 125 miles southeast of Camaguey, Cuba. Winds have increased to 65 miles per hour. It's moving to the west-northwest at 21 miles per hour.
There are tropical storm warnings for Cuba and tropical storm watches for the Florida Keys.
(Excerpt) Read more at khou.com ...
It looks like we may dodge a bullet here with Marco and Laura missing direct hits on major cities and weakening.
Mercifully, New Orleans avoids a hurricane double tap.
Yes, but flooding is still very likely in N.O.
We have not dodged any bullets. Marco could still cause major flooding and will slowly move toward Houston. Laura could still become a major hurricane and its not clear where landfall will be.
Typical Internet. A story headline makes it all go away for most people unless you are in the path. It’s like the stories about peaceful protest in our cites that are in reality violet takeovers of the streets.
Granted, any hurricane will test the city’s levees and stormwater pumps, but after the post-Katrina upgrades, they should perform well. Of course, in some especially vulnerable areas, even a heavy rainstorm can overwhelm drains and inundate parked cars or set them floating down the streets. Or at least that is how it was when I was a Tulane student decades ago.
Almost as if Laura is saying: "And you vermin escapees thought we wouldn't find you..."
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