Laura Strengthens to Category 3, Expected to Make Landfall as ‘Catastrophic’ Category 4 Hurricane

Hurricane Laura is forecast to rapidly power up into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane.
Laura Strengthens to Category 3, Expected to Make Landfall as ‘Catastrophic’ Category 4 Hurricane
Waves splash during the passage of Tropical Storm Laura in Havana, Cuba, on Aug. 24, 2020. Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters
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GALVESTON—Hurricane Laura is forecast to rapidly power up into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane, even stronger than previously expected, as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana, swirling wind and water over much of the Gulf of Mexico.

Satellite images show Laura has become “a formidable hurricane“ in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, “and there are no signs it will stop soon,” the National Hurricane Center said early Wednesday.