As Cat 4 Hurricane Laura barrels toward shore, here’s what the MS Coast can expect
A expected landfall Wednesday night for Hurricane Laura as a Category 4 storm means utter devastation along the shores of eastern Texas and southwest Louisiana, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast and state will experience impacts, too, because of the large wind field.
Hurricane Hunters have measured Hurricane Laura’s winds at 145 mph, a solid Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. Although the National Hurricane Center says additional strengthening is possible, Laura is not expected to reach Category 5 status, which means a minimum wind speed of 157 mph.
Laura was moving north-northwest at 15 mph, with a turn to the north expected later Wednesday. The NHC forecasts landfall Wednesday eveningor early Thursday.
Emergency managers are urging Mississippi Coast residents to keep an eye on the monster hurricane, which was 155 miles south-southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Port Arthur, Texas, late Wednesday afternoon. Hurricane winds extended outward 60 miles, with tropical-storm force winds extending up to 205 miles.
Will Hurricane Laura cause flooding?
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning Wednesday afternoon that runs through 9 a.m. Friday for Hancock and Harrison counties and portions of southeast Louisiana, meaning flooding is possible within 24 to 48 hours.
Residents of flood-prone property are advised to take any necessary precautions, and motorists to avoid driving through standing water or around barricades. Low-lying property could be inundated as Laura pushes storm surge ashore.
A storm-surge watch remains in effect for Hancock and Harrison counties. Expect a storm surge of 2-4 feet with flooding on waterways in low-lying areas. Jackson County also could experience surge, the National Weather Service in New Orleans says.
From Wednesday afternoon through Friday, Laura is expected to drop 5-10 inches of rain, with isolated maximums of 15 inches along portions of the northwestern Gulf in eastern Texas and western Louisiana and to the north in Arkansas.
The National Weather Service in New Orleans has issued a flash-flood watch through Thursday evening for Amite, Pike and Wilkinson counties. Rainfall of 2-5 inches is possible with higher isolated amounts in southwest Mississippi and southeast Louisiana. Isolated road closures are possible along the Mississippi Coast, especially in Hancock County.
For a large swath of Mississippi, potential for flash-flooding from heavy rains is marginal — 5% or less — over the next three days. But areas of western Mississippi along the Louisiana border have a higher risk of flash-flooding at 10%.
What about wind from Category 4 Laura?
Laura is a large hurricane, the National Weather Service says, with hurricane-force winds extending out up to 70 miles from the center and tropical-storm force winds extending up to 175 miles.
Winds speeds are forecast to be below tropical-storm strength, but could range from 10-20 mph in Harrison, Jackson and most of Hancock County with higher gusts if Laura remains on its current path. Winds are forecast to be 20-30 mph in extreme western Hancock County.
The higher winds will be moving ashore Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Tornadoes and damaging wind gusts will be possible over portions of western Mississippi late tonight through Thursday.
What about tornadoes?
The National Weather Service forecasts a possibility of Tornadoes and damaging wind gusts over portions of western Mississippi late tonight through Thursday. Isolated tornadoes could also hit South Mississippi, which could mean property damage and power outages in affected areas.
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 10:33 AM.
