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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — We continue to track two systems that will impact the Gulf coast.
Tropical Storm Laura’s projected path brings the system somewhere in between Southeast TX and Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday night into Thursday morning as a category 2 hurricane. Houston is currently just outside of the left side of the cone of uncertainty. The center of the cone is pointing towards the central Louisiana coast.
Hurricane Marco
Marco reached category 1 hurricane status Sunday morning but it weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds late Sunday evening. Marco’s projected path sends it toward southeast Louisiana Monday night into Tuesday. The track then curves to the west bringing Marco into Southeast Texas as a tropical depression Wednesday morning. At this time, it looks possible that we may end up receiving some rainfall from Marco if it takes this path.
As of 10 pm, Marco was approximately 185 miles south of the Mississippi River and moving north-northwest at 12 mph. Minimum central pressure is 1000 MB.
A storm surge warning is in effect from Morgan City, LA to Biloxi, MS. A storm surge watch extends farther out through the entire Louisiana and Mississippi coastline. A hurricane warning is in effect for Morgan City, LA and then east through the Louisiana Coast. A tropical storm warning extends across most of the Louisiana coast and a tropical storm watch extends into part of the Alabama coastline.
Tropical Storm Laura
At 10 pm Sunday, Tropical Storm Laura was located over southeast of the eastern tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving west-northwest at 21 mph. The minimum central pressure is 1000 MB.
The forecast cone for Laura stretches along the Gulf coast from far southeast Texas to Louisiana, but it is centered on the central Louisiana coastline. Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for Haiti, Cuba, and many other islands in the region. A Tropical Storm Watch is now in effect for the Florida Keys.
The long-range track and intensity of Laura remain more uncertain as the storm interacts with Cuba through Monday. Rainfall and wind impacts are expected for Cuba, the Bahamas, and Florida on its way to the Gulf of Mexico. Laura is expected to make landfall as a hurricane along the Gulf Coast as early as Wednesday. Impacts to Texas are uncertain but cannot be ruled out. If the storm tracks south of Cuba, it will have a greater chance of reaching Texas. If it tracks north of Cuba, it will likely stay safely east of Texas.
It is not anticipated that Marco will have much interaction with Laura now that Marco is moving quickly toward the Central Gulf Coast.
In the Houston area, we have some hot and mostly dry weather to prepare for whatever comes our way regarding the tropical weather. Isolated strong thunderstorms could pop up Monday and Tuesday afternoons with highs in the mid 90s. If we get any rain from Marco, it would be late Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
We are entering peak hurricane season and all indications are that the already record-breaking season could get even busier over the coming weeks. Officially, the Atlantic hurricane season lasts through the end of November.