LIVE HURRICANE TRACKER | Laura moving inland with catastrophic Category 4 winds

SAN ANTONIO — Residents in far Southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana are facing the full force of Hurricane Laura, which is forecast to continue leaving a major path of destruction due to catastrophic winds, flooding and coastal storm surge. People in its path should remain in shelter until the storm has completely passed to the north.

STORM VIDEO: What Hurricane Laura looked like when it hit Lake Charles

Hurricane Laura continues to move north across southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. The eye of the storm, as of about 3 a.m. Thursday, was continuing to move inland about 15 miles northwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Meteorologists reminded anyone in the path of the storm to remain in shelter, as the hurricane will continue to affect the entire coastal region on southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas for several hours. “Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to the safe room in your shelter. Take action now to protect your life!”

Hurricane Laura continues to churn across southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The eye of the storm, as of about 2 a.m. Thursday, was continuing to move inland just south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, with extreme winds and flash flooding expected, according to the National Hurricane Center. 

Hurricane Laura continues to churn at max sustained winds of 150 mph as it moves through communities in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas. The National Hurricane Center says a “catastrophic storm surge” is expected for the region, along with flash flooding and extreme winds. Rainfall of 10 to 15 inches is expected in some areas. 

Hurricane Laura has hit land. With sustained winds of 150 mph, the Category 4 storm made landfall in Cameron, Louisiana, just before midnight Wednesday night, about 70 miles east of Beaumont, Texas. 

Laura brings with it what the National Hurricane Center is calling a catastrophic storm surge that will result in flash flooding for communities in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. 

The storm, which the hurricane center calls “extremely dangerous,” has had sustained winds around 150 mph for several hours. Laura is expected to weaken as the storm moves over land. 

The hurricane is expected to bring with it a deadly storm surge, and rescuers will not be able to reach those who choose to not evacuate from areas like Port Arthur, state and county leaders warned . There is “little time left to protect life and property” as the Category 4 storm heads toward the Texas-Louisiana coast according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Warnings are now posted from San Luis Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana. 

Here’s our live coverage from the Wednesday 10 p.m. edition of KENS 5 Eyewitness News:

With warm water and favorable environmental conditions, Laura is a major hurricane, a category 4 storm. The forecast track takes Laura toward the northwestern portion of the Gulf of Mexico. There is a possibility it will strengthen even further to a Category 5 hurricane before making landfall. 

Storm surge is among the worst of the dangers followed by the wind. There will be rain, but this will not be a Harvey-like flooding event.

Galveston can still expect about a five-foot storm surge (well within the limits of the seawall) while closer to Beaumont and into Lake Charles there will be about a 10 foot storm surge:  

A surge could penetrate up to 30 miles inland from the southwest Louisiana coastline and far southeastern Texas.

Hurricane-force winds are expected Wednesday night in the warning area from San Luis Pass to west of Morgan City, Louisiana. The strongest winds near the eye wall will occur somewhere in that area.

Damaging wind and gusts are expected to spread well inland into parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana early Thursday. 

There’s also the possibility of widespread flash flooding along small streams and roadways in far east Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

The hurricane will not linger and should be cleared of the landfall area after about 12 hours.

Here’s live coverage of the storm from our sister station KBMT in Beaumont, Texas: