Hurricane Laura hits Texas and Louisiana

Hurricane Laura hits Texas and Louisiana: Storm-force winds and heavy rains arrived along the central coastline of Louisiana yesterday ahead of Hurricane Laura’s expected overnight landfall.

Evacuations have taken place along the Gulf Coast in preparation for the storm that’s forecast to bring a catastrophic surge with winds expected to be anywhere from 120-130 mph.

Although the storm appears to be moving quickly, areas of far eastern Texas and far western Louisiana will feel the effects, even well inland, and heavy rain will be experienced all along the path of the storm through the middle Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley regions.

The biggest impacts from Hurricane Laura are expected to be to the Beaumont, TX, and Lake Charles, LA areas and travel should be avoided for the next few days as the region faces the hurricane’s aftermath.

Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center has evacuated personnel at Lake Charles, Beaumont, and Galveston.

As a result, Jack Brooks Regional Airport (KBPT) in Beaumont and Lake Charles Regional Airport (KLCH) have been closed, with others remaining staffed but at reduced levels.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm is expected to weaken rapidly once it moves inland.

For support with your flight operations in the U.S., contact UAS Americas