Hurricane Warning for the JSC area remains in effect.
At 10PM CDT, Hurricane Laura was located at 29.7 N 93.5 W or 450 miles southeast of JSC. Laura was moving WNW at 17 MPH. Maximum sustained winds were 90 MPH.
Laura is forecast to continue intensifying tonight and tomorrow up to category 3 status with 120 mph winds while in the northwest part of the Gulf.
Hurricane Laura is forecast to make landfall between the Bolivar peninsula and extreme southwest Louisiana coast in the early hours of Thursday morning between 1AM and 3AM. Laura will be moving at around 15mph the entire time so a stalling storm with long period of heavy rain seems unlikely. A small track change to the west could bring hurricane force winds to JSC for a few hours. The most likely wind speed expected are a couple hours of 40 to 45 mph winds with a few gusts over 50 mph. Storm surge will be most severe over on Bolivar peninsula. Some water rises on the creek at JSC leading into Clear Lake is likely, but should be relatively minor unless a course change occurs. Check the NWS Houston or NHC pages for info on surge for areas away from JSC.
Tropical Weather Info from National Hurricane Center:
Hurricane Statement from NWS Houston/Galveston: http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=HGX&product=HLS&issuedby=HGX