'Significant strengthening' over next 36 hours: Laura expected to be major hurricane at landfall

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What does Tropical Storm Laura look like from above? Video from NASA and NOAA Hurricane Hunters provides a unique view. Wochit

Hurricane Laura — which strengthened to a Category 1 Tuesday morning — is forecast to approach the Gulf Coast Wednesday night.

Significant strengthening is forecast during the next 36 hours, and Laura is expected to be a major hurricane at landfall, the National Hurricane Center said.

Laura is expected to approach the Upper Texas and Southwest Louisiana coasts on Wednesday night, then move inland near those areas on Thursday, the 1 p.m NHC advisory said. 

More: Laura, now a hurricane, forecast to hit Gulf Coast as ‘major’ Category 3

As of 1 p.m, Laura was recorded by the NOAA and Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft as having maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. It is located 560 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas.

Laura is moving west-northwest at 16 mph.

Hurricane Laura watches and warnings

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for 

• San Luis Pass, Texas to the Mouth of the Mississippi River

A Hurricane Warning is in effect 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 is in effect for

• Freeport, Texas to San Luis Pass
• Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi
• Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for

• East of Intracoastal City to west of Morgan City, Louisiana

When will Laura hit the coast?

(Tip: If the map above doesn’t load, click here.)

More tracker maps: Tropical Storm Laura spaghetti models

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