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Powerful Hurricane Laura Makes Landfall in Southwest Louisiana

Powerful Hurricane Laura made landfall in southwest Louisiana on Wednesday night.  At 2:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Laura was located at latitude 29.8°N and longitude 93.3°W which put it about 30 miles (50 km) south-southwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Laura was moving toward the north at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 175 m.p.h. (280 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 938 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.  Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from San Luis Pass to High Island, Texas and from Intracoastal City to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

The center of Hurricane Laura officially made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana on Tuesday night.  Hurricane Laura was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall on the coast of southwest Louisiana.  Laura was stronger than Hurricane Rita was when Rita made landfall in the same area in September 2005.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Laura was 31.6.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 19.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 51.2.  Hurricane Laura was capable of causing widespread extensive damage.

A NOAA National Ocean Service weather station at Calcasieu Pass measured a sustained wind speed of 93 m.p.h. (150 km/h) and a wind gust of 127 m.p.h. (204 km/h) during the passage of the northern eyewall.  The station also recorded a water rise of over 10 feet (3 meters).  The National Weather Service station at the Lake Charles airport measured a wind gust of 104 m.p.h. (167 km/h) during the passage of an inner rainband.  There were numerous reports of power outages.

Hurricane Laura will move inland over western Louisiana on Thursday.  The center of Laura will move over southern Arkansas by Thursday night.  Hurricane Laura will continue to cause a significant storm surge along the coast of Louisiana on Thursday morning.  Laura could produce hurricane force winds in Alexandria, Louisiana.  It could bring strong tropical storm force winds to Shreveport and Monroe.  Hurricane Laura will also drop heavy rain over Louisiana and parts of Arkansas.  Flash floods could occur in some locations.

Hurricane Laura Intensifies to Cat. 4

Hurricane Laura rapidly intensified to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Wednesday.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Laura was located at latitude 27.3°N and longitude 92.5°W which put it about 200 miles (320 km) south-southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana.  Laura was moving toward the northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 140 m.p.h. (225 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 170 m.p.h. (275 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 952 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from San Luis, Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Lousiana.  Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Sargent, Texas to San Luis Pass and from Intracoastal City to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

Hurricane Laura continued to intensify rapidly on Wednesday morning.  The eye became more circular and well defined.  The ring of thunderstorms around the eye strengthened and the highest wind speeds were occurring in that ring of storms.   Storms near the core of Laura generated strong upper level divergence which pumped large quantities of mass away from the hurricane.  The continued removal of mass allowed a further rapid decrease in surface pressure.

Hurricane Laura grew into a large hurricane on Wednesday.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of Laura.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Laura was 28.3.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 19.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.4.  Hurricane Laura was capable of causing widespread significant damage.

Hurricane Laura could strengthen during the next few hours.  Laura will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  There is a possibility that Hurricane Laura could intensify to Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  When Hurricane Laura nears the coast of western Louisiana, it will be closer to an upper level trough over Texas and Oklahoma.  The trough will produce southwesterly winds which will blow toward the top of Laura.  Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase and that could stop the intensification of Hurricane Laura.

Hurricane Laura will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system that extends from the Atlantic Ocean over the Gulf of Mexico.  Laura will start to move towards the north when it reaches the western end of the high.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Laura will make landfall south of Lake Charles, Louisiana in 8 to 10 hours.  After it makes landfall, Laura will move north over western Louisiana.

Hurricane Laura is a strong, extremely dangerous hurricane.  It is capable of causing widespread significant damage.  Laura will be stronger than Hurricane Rita was when Rita hit the same area in 2005.  Hurricane Laura will cause a storm surge of 15 to 20 feet (5 to 7 meters) near and to the east of where the center makes landfall.  Large sections of the southwest coast of Louisiana south of Interstate 10 will go underwater.  Hurricane Laura will bring hurricane force winds to much of western Louisiana and to extreme east Texas.  Widespread power outages are likely.  Hurricane Laura will drop heavy rain over parts of western Louisiana, eastern Texas and Arkansas.  Flash floods could result from the heavy rain