Hurricane Marco moving quickly towards Louisiana

Hospitalizations drops below 1,000 statewide for first time since July
August 23, 2020
TS Laura still expected to become hurricane by Tuesday; Category 2 likely
August 23, 2020
Hospitalizations drops below 1,000 statewide for first time since July
August 23, 2020
TS Laura still expected to become hurricane by Tuesday; Category 2 likely
August 23, 2020

At 1 p.m. CDT, the center of Hurricane Marco was located about 280 miles (450 km) south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It’s moving toward the north-northwest near 14 mph (22 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue through tonight, followed by a turn toward the northwest by Monday. On the forecast track, Marco will cross the central Gulf of Mexico today and will approach southeastern Louisiana on Monday. A gradual turn toward the west-northwest with a decrease in forward speed is expected after Marco moves inland.


 

Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts – a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 20 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 100 miles (160 km) from the center. Marco is expected to be a hurricane when it approaches the northern Gulf Coast on Monday. Rapid weakening is expected after Marco moves inland.

 

Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by midday Monday, with tropical storm conditions possible by early Monday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area on Monday, and hurricane conditions are possible within the hurricane watch areas late Monday.

 

 

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…
– Morgan City LA to Ocean Springs MS including Lake Borgne…4-6 ft
– Sabine Pass to Morgan City LA…2-4 ft
– Ocean Springs MS to the MS/AL Border…2-4 ft
– Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas…2-4 ft
– MS/AL state line to AL/FL state line, including Mobile Bay…1-3 ft


 

Marco is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches across the Central U.S. Gulf coast through Tuesday. This rainfall may result in isolated areas of flash and urban flooding along the Central U.S. Gulf Coast.

 

The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 4 p.m. CDT