Hurricane Laura and Potential Late Week Local Impacts

Hurricane Laura has intensified rapidly over the past 24 hours into a category 3 major hurricane and will continue to strengthen before making landfall between the TX/LA border early Thursday morning. Warm water and low to moderate shear will aid in strengthening this storm to a category 4 hurricane, making landfall as the first major hurricane of the season.

Storm surge of 10-15’ will be possible for some areas from sea rim state park to Intracoastal city. Areas that are usually dry will become flooded and areas well inland will deal with the impacts of this storm. Hurricane-force winds stretch 70 miles from the center with tropical-storm-force winds stretching 175 miles from the center. THIS IS A MASSIVE STORM. Flash flooding will also be an issue well inland with 5-10” of rain over the northwestern Gulf coast from western LA to far eastern Texas. Some isolated areas could see up to 15” of rain. Areas right of center will take the worst of the impacts with isolated tornadoes also a possibility into LA, Arkansas and even into western Mississippi.

This storm will lose intensity, but heavy rain could cause problems into Arkansas and for areas east into Tennessee and Missouri where 2-4” and up to 6” for isolated areas.

Locally, the WCCB viewing area will deal with the remnants of Laura by late Friday into Saturday with 2”+ of rainfall for some areas possible. Likely the upper end of our flash flooding threat will be for the higher elevations, with areas south of I-85 seeing 1/2 – 1″ of rainfall Saturday. Flash flooding could be an issue with any significant downpours after heavy rain the past few weeks has left the group saturated. Gusts 20-30 mph will also be possible, which could take down a few trees and cause power outages.