Significant damage all over Lake Charles #Laura pic.twitter.com/6v2a9CWIkG
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) August 27, 2020
Significant damage all over Lake Charles #Laura pic.twitter.com/6v2a9CWIkG
— Aaron Rigsby (@AaronRigsbyOSC) August 27, 2020
P.M. storms remain our local story as we continue to watch #Laura well to our west… pic.twitter.com/G4stTiUbTp
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
HURRICANE LAURA WELL TO OUR WEST TODAY; NO MORE IMMINENT TROPICAL THREATS… After a historic night with a high-end category 4 Hurricane Laura making landfall in Cameron, Louisiana, impacts continue this morning well to our west across parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi. High winds, tornadoes, flash flooding, and coastal hazards like rip currents continue to be a problem this morning for areas to our west. Thankfully, local impacts are not expected due to Hurricane Laura in south Alabama or northwest Florida other than our ongoing rip current threat at the immediate coast. Today, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to pop up in the afternoon and evening hours locally. High temperatures will be near 90 degrees in most spots. While the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping tabs on a tropical wave emerging into the eastern Atlantic Ocean, that is the norm this time of year. I had several questions about an apparent viral post saying “5 more storms are behind Laura!” Not so fast… No new tropical storms are expected to form over the next 2-3 days. There is a low chance of ONE (not 5!) new tropical storm developing way out in the Atlantic Ocean this weekend. See more details below.
LAURA MOVING NORTH ACROSS LOUISIANA… Laura remains a dangerous hurricane, well inland this morning, across west-central Louisiana. Laura made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph near the community of Cameron, Louisiana. Winds gusted to 130+ mph in Lake Charles, LA around 2AM. Unfortunately, even before daylight this morning, the images I’ve seen circulating on social media highlight potentially catastrophic damage near Lake Charles. I am afraid that morning light will reveal a bleak situation, perhaps similar to what our area observed in the Florida Panhandle when Hurricane Michael roared ashore in October 2018.
TORNADO RISK TODAY TO OUR WEST… I am not expecting a tornado risk today or tonight across south Alabama or northwest Florida, however there will be a fairly sizable part of the Deep South involved in an ongoing tornado risk through tonight due to Hurricane Laura. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has outlined much of Louisiana, western Mississippi, and Arkansas in their Level 2 (out of 5) tornado risk today. Brief, spin-up tornadoes will continue to be possible in those areas through tonight.
TORNADOES POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA FRIDAY… The northwestern corner of Alabama is involved in a Level 2 (out of 5) tornado risk valid on Friday as the circulation associated with Hurricane Laura continues moving northeast. Places like Decatur, Huntsville, Muscle Shoals, Florence, Russellville, Hamilton, Double Springs are involved in this tornado risk area.
LOCALLY, SCATTERED STORMS ARE THE STORY… Afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms will continue to be our norm over the next week. We maintain at least a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms through Tuesday of the upcoming week. Storms are not expected to be organized or severe in most cases, but some of the storms may be on the strong side, with lightning, heavy rain, and gusty winds being the main concerns. High temperatures will be near 90 with morning lows in the mid-70s.
20% CHANCE OF TROPICAL STORM FORMATION… There is a low-end chance (20% as of now) that a tropical wave currently emerging into the Atlantic Ocean will develop into a tropical storm as the wave moves into the central Atlantic this weekend. Development is not imminent as environmental conditions over the eastern Atlantic near Africa are not suitable for a tropical storm to form right now. This system will move toward the Leeward Islands in 5-7 days. This is more of a curiosity than anything else at this point. Something to watch, not something to stress over. We’ll keep you posted.
APP… Be sure to download our free RedZone Weather app if you haven’t done so already. redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the app for your iOS or Android device. Once you have the app downloaded, be sure to visit the Alerts tab in the lower right corner of the app to select the specific notifications you would like to receive straight from me.
See all the details in your Thursday #rzw forecast video. Have a good day!
Scattered thunderstorms will bubble up this afternoon into this evening… Be ready for scattered downpours! ⛈ pic.twitter.com/YRHSOZ33dI
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
NEW: buildings completely gutted, glass falling everywhere in downtown Lake Charles, LA in the eye of #HurricaneLaura @RadarOmega_WX pic.twitter.com/o1nkGLgUiB
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 27, 2020
Hurricane force winds aren't anywhere close to being over. #Laura is slated to remain a hurricane for hours to come with high winds extending well into central & northern Louisiana.
Very concerned about inland communities from Lake Charles northward to Natchitoches! pic.twitter.com/Ikx088l9Vm
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
Breaking news major damage in Downtown Lake Charles many skyscrapers have blown out winds.
Some of the building may be total losses.
Many roof off massive flying debris. @NWSLakeCharles #lawx #HurricaneLaura pic.twitter.com/s9EgeDtz43— Jeff Piotrowski (@Jeff_Piotrowski) August 27, 2020
LISTEN- It has not stopped! The wind continues to howl, with debris swirling around our building. Chaos outside. @WeatherNation #Laura pic.twitter.com/BlbZ8BrIJV
— Will Nunley (@willnunley) August 27, 2020
BREAkING! Buildings gutted in Lake Charles LA in powerful eye wall of #HurricaneLaura @RadarOmega_WX @ChasinSpin pic.twitter.com/wP3fPyREIZ
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 27, 2020
Can’t sleep — praying and concerned for all of my #Louisiana friends. Things are relatively calm here on #EmeraldCoast #Florida Panhandle. Surf is still pounding, a few clouds. But the moon is peeking through.#FLwx #Laura@WEARAllenStrum @NWSMobile @StormHour @rzweather @spann pic.twitter.com/u1Qmsnvin6
— ((ProperGander News)) ? (@BamaStephen) August 27, 2020
Hurricane Laura has made landfall as a powerful, category 4 hurricane at Cameron, Louisiana as of 1:00AM with 'official' max winds at 150 mph. MAJOR storm surge is happening according to many accounts near the center of Laura in addition to extreme, damaging winds. pic.twitter.com/XuP95a7b2p
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
Because there's so many potential spin up tornadoes in the outer rain bands, NWS is having to issue some massive tornado warnings.
At 11,901 sq mi., this is the largest issued by LCH, and second largest for any NWS office since 2007. https://t.co/90wlgh3BW7
— Nick Dilbeck (@NDilbeck_Wx) August 27, 2020
Cameron is approaching 10 feet of surge with a northeast wind……NORTHEAST (offshore)! The surge forecasts are verifying and locations east of the eye will see incredible surge likely approaching 20 feet.
— Brandon Black (@backinblack_wx) August 27, 2020
Based on the trajectory of #Laura, I would imagine KLCH (Lake Charles) radar won't be transmitting data to the outside world much longer. Hope I am wrong… ?@NWSLakeCharles team evacuated earlier and @NWSBrownsville is issuing local products for southwest Louisiana. pic.twitter.com/ly2PCMSNMH
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
The wind field around the center of Hurricane #Laura is so intense that birds and insects are caught in the calm eye of the storm… Obvious on the correlation coefficient product (right).
Red/orange = rain/heavy rain.
Blue in the eye = bugs, birds. pic.twitter.com/OuADLiJtfQ— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
The rarest of the rare! An Extreme Wind Warning is in effect for southwest Louisiana and extreme southeast Texas due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Laura… pic.twitter.com/Wvo25bQ3EK
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
HURRICANE LAURA MAX. WINDS AT 150MPH… Hurricane Laura is poised to make landfall overnight near Cameron, Louisiana as a powerful, very dangerous category 4 hurricane. Maximum winds have increased as of the 9PM CDT position update to 150 mph. Unfortunately, the worst of the forecasts have come true. This will be a devastating next few hours for areas in eastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. The rarest of the rare, an Extreme Wind Warning, will be issued soon for parts of southwest Louisiana.
Our thoughts, prayers, and well wishes are with the people of Louisiana and Texas tonight. This will be a hurricane talked about for decades to come.
Maximum winds near the center of Hurricane Laura are at a mind boggling 150 mph as the storm gets set for landfall overnight somewhere near Cameron, Louisiana.
Extreme Wind Warning likely to be issued soon for the affected area. pic.twitter.com/nxN0CvuQ1Y
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 27, 2020
The large eyewall of Hurricane Laura is now clearly evident on the Lake Charles (KLCH) radar… pic.twitter.com/MNqqB1zBti
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 26, 2020
CAT. 4 HURRICANE LAURA NOW PACKING 145MPH WINDS… Hurricane Laura continues to rapidly intensify on this Wednesday evening. I *hope* people in evacuation zones in parts of east Texas and western Louisiana have heeded the warnings as potentially catastrophic storm surge and dangerous winds in excess of 145 mph will be possible as the core of Laura moves ashore. Landfall is expected between 9PM and 3AM tonight. We note multiple tornado warnings are in progress this evening in parts of Louisiana as outer feeder bands of Laura continue to move onshore.
DANGEROUS LAURA IS RAPIDLY STRENGTHENING… Hurricane Laura has rapidly strengthened to a category 4, major hurricane this evening. Intensification is likely not done just yet. Laura might become stronger before its landfall tonight in eastern Texas or western Louisiana. Maximum sustained winds as of the 4PM advisory are at 145 mph with minimum central pressure down to 947 millibars. Laura continues to move northwest at 16 mph.
LITTLE TO NO DIRECT LOCAL IMPACTS FROM LAURA IN SW AL & NW FL… Direct local impacts from Hurricane Laura (outside of ongoing rip currents and high waves at the beaches) are not expected in south Alabama or northwest Florida. Impacts from Laura will be possible basically from the Mouth of the Mississippi River westward to the core impact zone in western Louisiana and eastern Texas.
APP… Be sure to download our free RedZone Weather app if you haven’t done so already. redzoneweather.com/app is the link where you can download the app for your iOS or Android device. Once you have the app downloaded, be sure to visit the Alerts tab in the lower right corner of the app to select the specific notifications you would like to receive straight from me.
Have a good Wednesday evening!
Hurricane Laura is taking aim at east Texas and western Louisiana this evening. Quick evening video update here: https://t.co/QP1SCzDC6s pic.twitter.com/CxbYMbBCmL
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 26, 2020
Hurricane Laura has a large eye, meaning the eyewall (and hurricane force winds) extends outward well away from the center point. Classic case of why "impacts extend well beyond the cone of uncertainty."
Laura will likely make landfall between 9PM and 3AM. DANGEROUS hurricane! pic.twitter.com/CZsqnDYdZM
— Spinks Megginson (@rzweather) August 26, 2020
NWS offices make every reasonable effort to stay put during hurricanes. They stayed put at Key West for Irma and at Houston for Harvey, despite the known threats of both hurricanes. That they are leaving Lake Charles for #Laura speaks volumes to me. https://t.co/B1HVndLdOk
— Dr. Barb Mayes Boustead (@windbarb) August 26, 2020