Hurricane Hurricane Laura

[warneagle]

Why is Brownsville, now serving for Lake Charles NWS, issuing severe thunderstorm warnings for an outer band? Seems redundant and not standard practice when you’re already under a hurricane warning.

Yeah, it's completely redundant since the wind threshold for a hurricane warning is higher than the threshold for a severe warning.

 

[Taylor Campbell]

They issue a severe thunderstorm warning for 60 mph gust because it’s a more current, seeable, and predictable event unfolding. That’s like saying why should they issue a extreme high wind warning when there’s already a hurricane warning. It’s due to it being a more current event and people need to be warned for that.

 

[Kory]

Yeah, it's completely redundant since the wind threshold for a hurricane warning is higher than the threshold for a severe warning.

Can be quite confusing for folks not weather savvy. When the severe wx warning expires, some people may assume the threat is lessening. It most certainly has not after the passage of the far outer band.

 

[warneagle]

I feel like a major hurricane is plenty current and seeable. I think just rebroadcasting the hurricane warning at regular intervals until it expires is a better practice, and probably less confusing for the ordinary person who doesn't pay attention to the weather.

 

[majorhurricane1703]

Houston has dodged a bullet. This will not be affecting them directly.

Lake Charles long range radar shows Laura is on a NW heading with maybe some NNW wobbles. This is solidly a SW LA landfall.

 

[majorhurricane1703]

I have a question . Is there a chance of Laura being strong enough to bring tropical storm conditions to inland NJ?

 

[TornadoFan]

Pressure has dropped another 5 millibars since the last pass.

 

[akt1985]

I’m hearing comparisons to Rita. What about comparisons to Hurricane Audrey back in 1957? Hopefully we avoid the same death toll as Audrey.

 

[TornadoFan]

 

[Jetstream]

A cluster of Tor warnings near Baton Rouge.

 

[KoD]

I have a question . Is there a chance of Laura being strong enough to bring tropical storm conditions to inland NJ?

My guess is it probably would be more like tropical depression winds, It will depend on if the system can bring some of those upper winds down the the surface. I wouldn't imagine it being worse than a typical extratropical cyclone that part of the country sees often in fall/winter - just a moisture laden summer variant.

 

[barcncpt44]

KPLC TV in Lake Charles is now evacuating and heading towards WAFB TV in Baton Rouge which will be broadcasting for them.

 

[TornadoFan]

Ugh.

 

[South AL Wx]

Tornado Watch has been issued:

 

[majorhurricane1703]

A thing a lot of people aren’t talking about is the real threat and worry I would have of a potential COVID outbreak do to Laura. If this storm inundates all these areas with 6-20 feet of surge like it’s forecasted to, we could be talking about a severe case of germs spreading from standing water carrying debris along with bacteria and microorganisms from the lakes and marshes. People talk about the worry of social distancing, which is no question a problem, but the germs spreading from storm damage is just as big of a concern.

 

[TornadoFan]

Pressure has dropped again. Down to 945 per the latest pass.

 

[Kory]

943mb and 135kt in the NE quad.

 

[TornadoFan]

Are those flight level winds?

 

[Kory]

Are those flight level winds?

Yes. 116kt SFMR

 

[TornadoFan]

Latest dropsonde has surface winds at 130 knots now.

https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/recon/recon_AF307-2313A-LAURA_dropsonde12_20200826-2007.png