Hurricane Warning for the coastal area highlighted in red.  At 10am , Hurricane Laura  has 75 mph winds. The barometric pressure is 990 millibars. The National Hurricane Center's path forecast is now closer what I have outlined below. The "M" at 7pm Wednesday = "Major Hurricane." They are forecasting wind gusts to 140 mph. Those will cause serious structural damage. With regard to storm surge, they say, There is the danger of life-threatening storm surge accompanied by large and dangerous waves from San Luis Pass, Texas, to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, including areas inside the Port Arthur Hurricane Flood Protection System. A storm surge warning is in effect and residents should follow any advice given by local officials. Actions to protect life and property should be rush to completion today -- as water levels will begin to rise Wednesday.  Updated storm surge forecast map.  -- Original posting from 8:15am below. The informatio...

I have updated information on now Hurricane Laura at the top of the blog. -- original posting below -- I have reviewed the data and computer models available as of 11:55pm CDT. Laura is already strengthening faster than some of the models forecast to occur. That said, I believe what is outlined below adequately outlines the situation. I will update later this morning.  This was originally posted at 6:30pm Monday. I have updated it as of 8:30pm Monday. This is a comprehensive update on the hazards presented by now Tropical Storm Laura. It should become a hurricane late tonight or Tuesday morning. If you live in east Texas and Louisiana, please review it in its entirety. If you have friends or relatives in this area, please  make them aware of this update. Headlines: Hurricane Watch from Fort Morgan, Louisiana, to Port Bolivar, Texas. This includes Galveston-Beaumont (see below). If I lived in Harris or Galveston counties, I would consider hurricane f...