Former Tropical Storm Laura strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday morning.  At 8:15 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Laura was located at latitude 23.4°N and longitude 86.4°W which put it about 625 miles (1005 km) southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Laura was moving toward the west-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 991 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from San Luis Pass, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana.  The Hurricane Watch includes Galveston, Texas.  Houston, Texas is under a Tropical Storm Watch.  Tropical Storm Watches are also in effect for the portions of the coast from Freeport to San Luis Pass, Texas and from Morgan City, Louisiana to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

A Hurricane Hunter aircraft found on Tuesday morning that former Tropical Storm Laura had strengthened into a hurricane.  The distribution of thunderstorms around Laura was asymmetrical.  Many of the thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the southern half of the circulation and near the center of Laura.  Bands in the northern half of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of circulation were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the hurricane.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) on the eastern side of Laura.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 100 miles (160 km) on the western side of the hurricane.

Hurricane Laura will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 30 hours.  Laura will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move under an upper level high where the upper level winds are weak.  There will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Laura will continue to intensify.  When an inner core is fully formed with an eye and an eyewall, Laura could strengthen more rapidly.  Laura will likely strengthen into a major hurricane over the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Laura will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Laura toward the west-northwest during the next 12 hours.  Laura will turn more toward the northwest as it approaches the western end of the high.  On its anticipated track the center of Hurricane Laura will approach the portion of the coast between Freeport, Texas and Lake Charles, Louisiana on Wednesday night.

Hurricane Laura is likely to be a major hurricane when it approaches the coast.  In addition to the strong winds, Laura could create a storm surge of over 10 feet (3 meters) along a portion of the coast. Heavy rain could also cause flash floods in some locations.