The City of Pearland is under a Tropical Storm WarningPearland remains under Tropical Storm Warning while Hurricane Laura is expected to strengthen to a Category 4, with landfall still expected to be along the Texas/Louisiana border. While landfall draws near, the city of Pearland continues to urge residents to stay prepared and informed, as Pearland will most likely still receive tropical storm winds.NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center ...LAURA STRENGTHENS INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE......POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC STORM SURGE, EXTREME WINDS, AND FLASH FLOODING EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTHWEST GULF COAST TONIGHT......STEPS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...***A Storm Surge Warning continuest for...* Freeport Texas to the Mouth of the Mississippi River*** A Hurricane Warning continues for...* San Luis Pass Texas to Intracoastal City Louisiana*** A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...* Sargent Texas to San Luis Pass* East of Intracoastal City Louisiana to the Mouth of the
Mississippi River*** A Storm Surge Watch continues for...* Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs Mississippi* Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne*** A Hurricane Watch continues for...* East of Intracoastal City to west of Morgan City LouisianaHurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning
area tonight and Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are
expected to reach the coast in the hurricane warning area late
today or tonight, and are expected in the tropical storm
warning area tonight and Thursday. Hurricane-force winds and damaging wind gusts are also expected to spread well inland into portions of eastern Texas and western Louisiana early Thursday.A few tornadoes are expected this evening through tonight over Louisiana, far southeast Texas, and southwestern Mississippi. The risk for a few tornadoes should continue into Thursday across Louisiana, Arkansas, and western Mississippi.It should be mentioned Laura is now a large hurricane, and wind, storm surge, and rainfall hazards will extend far from the center. Do not use the cone graphic for any representation of these hazards, it is just for the center uncertainty.At 7 a.m. CDT, the center of Hurricane Laura was located about 280 miles (450 km) south-southeast of Lake Charles, La. It's moving toward the northwest near 15 mph (24 km/h) and this general motion should continue today, followed by a north-northwestward motion tonight. On the forecast track, Laura should approach the Upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts this evening and move inland near those areas tonight or Thursday morning.
Data from NOAA and Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph (185 km/h) with higher gusts - a dangerous category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It is forecast to continue strengthening into a category 4 hurricane later today. Rapid weakening is expected after Laura makes landfall.Laura is a large hurricane. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center and tropical-storm- force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km). Buoy 42395, located just east of Laura's eye, recently reported a sustained wind of 74 mph (119 km/h) and a wind gust of 107 mph (172 km/h) and a wave height of 37 feet (11 meters). The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...- Sea Rim State Park to Intracoastal City incl. Sabine Lake & Calcasieu Lake...10-15 ft- Intracoastal City to Morgan City including Vermilion Bay...8-12 ft- Port Bolivar to Sea Rim State Park...6-9 ft- Morgan City to Mouth of the Mississippi River...4-7 ft- San Luis Pass to Port Bolivar...3-5 ft- Galveston Bay...3-5 ft- Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs including Lake Borgne...2-4 ft- Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas...2-4 ft- Freeport to San Luis Pass...2-4 ftFrom this afternoon through Friday, Laura is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches across portions of the northwestern Gulf Coast from western Louisiana to far eastern Texas, and northward into much of Arkansas. Over the lower to middle Mississippi Valley from central Louisiana into western Tennessee and Kentucky, and southeastern Missouri, 2 to 4 inches of rainfall with isolated totals of 6 inches are expected. This rainfall will cause widespread flash and urban flooding, small streams to overflow their banks, and minor to isolated moderate river flooding.The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 10 a.m. CDT
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