Laura has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. The update in Laura's status came early on Tuesday morning as sustained winds from the storm in the Gulf of Mexico reached over 74 mph.
According to the National Weather Service, conditions in the Gulf of Mexico could force Laura to strengthen even more. Laura is forecasted to become a major hurricane before making landfall.
Earlier in the week, then Tropical Storm Laura was predicted to make landfall closer to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and into Louisiana on late Wednesday. The latest model has Laura making landfall further west near the Louisiana/Texas border in the gulf.
Tuesday morning’s update makes Laura the fourth hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
A storm surge watch has also been issued from San Luis Pass, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi.