1:00 a.m. - The National Hurricane Center say that at 1 am, Hurricane Laura has made landfall in southwestern Louisiana near Cameron as a category 4 hurricane. Maximum sustained winds were 150 mph, with a minimum central pressure of 938 mb.
UPDATE: 12:15 a.m. - The National Weather Service says that the eye wall of Hurricane Laura is moving onshore over southwestern LA.
UPDATE: (10pm) Hurricane Laura remains a strong Category 4 storm with max winds at 150 mph. The National Hurricane Center reports that Laura has begun to turn northward as it moves around the western side of a subtropical high pressure area. As of 10:00 p.m., the storm was about 75 miles from Lake Charles.
The NHC says that unsurvivable storm surge with large and destructive waves is expected from the storm. Hurricane-force winds are expected Wednesday night in to Thursday morning in portions of the hurricane warning area, with catastrophic wind damage expected. Flooding is also expected.
The storm is not expected to strengthen any further and should make landfall somewhere in Cameron Parish between midnight and 2 a.m. as a strong Category 4 hurricane.
Storm surge in the Vermilion Bay region has the potential to be int he 10-15 foot range, according to the Cameron Parish OEP.
WATCH OUR LIVE COVERAGE:
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UPDATE (7 p.m.): Hurricane Laura has strengthened even more Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center now reporting max sustained winds of 150 mph and pressure of 940 mb. The storm has also started to take a more north-northwesterly track in the last six hours and is moving at 15 mph.
Watch the latest:
4 p.m.: Hurricane Laura has continued to rapidly strengthen on Wednesday, with the National Hurricane Center reporting a well-defined eye that is now within range of the Lake Charles radar.
With about 12 hours still to go over the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, Laura is expected to remain an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane through landfall early Thursday morning, though some fluctuation is expected to occur.
Laura is moving northwestward at 13 knots with sustained winds of 145 mph. In 12 hours, roughly 4 a.m., max winds are expected to be up to 150 mph. It will continue a north-northwestward, but effects of the storm will extend far from the center.
Storm surge is a major concern in southwest Louisiana, with areas in Calcasieu and Sabine Lakes expected to see catastrophic damage, the NHC reports. Storm surge could move up to 40 miles inland from the coastline.
Laura should make landfall around midnight somewhere in Cameron Parish.
Most of Acadiana remains under warnings; western parishes including Acadiana and Evangeline are under a Hurricane Warning, Lafayette Parishes and those westward are under Tornado Watches and Hurricane Watches.
Calcasieu Parish could see up to 106 mph wind gusts in Lake Charles as Laura moves inland at around 4 a.m. Lafayette can expect to see gusts of up to 52 mph.
Radius of winds, 12 a.m.
Wind gusts, 12 a.m.
Our KATC weather team is watching Laura and will continue to have live updates on air and on katc.com/live and our Facebook page.
Find the latest Laura info at www.katc.com/news/around-acadiana/live-coverage-hurricane-laura.
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