Hurricane Laura could become a major Category 3 storm. Laura strengthened from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane on Tuesday morning as it cut through the Gulf of Mexico on a path toward the Louisiana coast, where officials have ordered evacuations stretching into Texas. Forecasters said that Laura could become a major Category 3 hurricane late Wednesday or early Thursday as it gathers energy from the Gulf’s warm waters. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana compared the storm to Hurricane Rita, which caused an estimated $25.2 billion in damage when it struck the state’s coast in 2005. Even as Marco crossed the coast, most eyes were already on Laura, which unleashed heavy rainfall across Cuba and Jamaica.

Source: New York Times August 25, 2020 09:00 UTC