Laura now forecast to be a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane

Washington Times ^ | 8/26/20 | Jeff Martin, John Mone, Stacey Plaisance

[Libloather]

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Hurricane Laura is forecast to rapidly power up into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane, even stronger than previously expected, as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana gathering wind and water that swirls over much of the Gulf of Mexico.

Satellite images show that Laura has become “a formidable hurricane” in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, “and there are no signs it will stop soon,” the National Hurricane Center said in a briefing early Wednesday.

Laura’s maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) with higher gusts, forecasters said early Wednesday.

“We are expecting widespread power outages, trees down. Homes and businesses will be damaged,” said Donald Jones, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is near the bullseye of Laura’s forecast track.

“I’m telling you, this is going to be a very serious situation,” Jones said.

**SNIP**

More than 385,000 residents were told to flee the Texas cities of Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, and another 200,000 were ordered to leave low-lying Calcasieu Parish in southwestern Louisiana, where forecasters said as much as 13 feet (4 meters) of storm surge topped by waves could submerge whole communities.

[bravo whiskey]

Prayers for you and neighbors. I have a friend just east of Deridder. He has a whole house generator and just topped off the tank with 400 gals of propane. Got lucky with Rita.

[the OlLine Rebel]

How does this affect MD and Hogan?

???

[the OlLine Rebel]

Nah. Not really.

We’ve had numerous storms already and not all were “Trumped” up.

[mewzilla]

These people damaged the world’s largest economy. You think they’d stop at screwing with data on a hurricane?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I am shocked how underrated Agnes is.

I watched that Top 100 Weather Moments (which further is just a bit of an update of an erparlier version).

I was flabbergasted these fools at Weather Channel didn’t have Agnes on there AT ALL. I mean, 100 things.

Yet they included the “derecho” (who ever heard that term before) of 2012, but NOT Agnes! Come on idiots!

[Mathews]

I was listening to some local news down here and heard an older gent say him and his wife would NOT evac if the order was given because of... COVID. Yep, they’re more afraid of COVID than a killer storm. I can’t get my hands around that.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Katrina last days of August like right now.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Just saying, we’ve had plenty storms that kept coming that didn’t really affect Trump much. This one still hasn’t hit, so we’ll see what it really does, whether it’s something to make hay over.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I can. Even today again I’m victimized by the COVID hysteria. When doctors and hospitals are STILL acting like it’s the end of the world and more important than any other health issue, yeah, they scare the dickens out of everyone.

I’m sick of it. No pun.

[gcparent]

Yes friend was on her roof outside Houston Aug 30 or 31.

[Calvin Locke]

In one hurricane, the guy behind us lost a tree. One branch punctured the roof, and came out again.

However, the tree nailed garage and the car inside.
It was detached, towards the back of the 1/4 acre lot.

[17th Miss Regt]

Remember what happened with Katrina? Bush got a lot of relief efforts in a very timely manner and lined them up at the border of Louisiana ready to go in. Then the governor (Mary Landrieu) refused to let the federal relief convoys into the state. And she blamed Bush for the lack of federal help during Katrina. And the MSM lapped it up.

[deport]

[robowombat]

The so-called governor of Louisiana when Katrina struck was Katherine Blanco, better known as Gov. Buncko. I worked for the log support command and Louisiana disaster relief was the most uncooperative group people we tried to work with. Complete stone wall from them and the AJ’s office. Either rude or terrified would not give any info on state mobilization plans. Buncko, advised by her stupid and corrupt fixer husband ‘Coach’ wanted JWB to just make a declaration so the Stafford Act cash spigot was turned on. Until that happened the state would stonewall. That is the feds went around the state and sent Navy support vessels to New Orleans and made a Coast Guard admiral the federal disaster assistance chief. Every level of government failed in Katrina , state of Louisiana worst of all but local, municipal, and FEMA all were really incompetent, turf protective and the people at the top such as that jackass who was the Secretary of Homeland Insecurity were both arrogant and self obsessed and control freaks. Bad scene until Bush just told the feds to work around the road blockers.

[Theoria]

I hope your safe. FReep in at times. I don't know if Lake Charles will be there tomorrow. Good luck to all.

[Salamander]

The projected storm path is going to bring a carpload of rain and possible winds upon us when it fishhooks over us on its way out to sea, apparently.

[Ozark Tom]

Twenty feet of surge possible at Cameron.

[Ron H.]

That good luck wish paid off. It has completely missed us after all. It shifted a little westward mid morning by a few miles and it has only given us a few outer rain bands, this time. Thanks for the wish.

[Jane Long]

Eye see you’ve been enlightened, about this Cat 3-4 hurricane’s defined eye.

[digger48]

Glad to hear

thanks for the update