Tropical Storm Marco weakens, Tropical Storm Laura expected to intensify
AUSTIN, Texas - After briefly strengthening to a hurricane on Sunday, Marco has weakened back to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.
Strong environmental wind shear and a narrowing window of time over water will prevent Tropical Storm Marco from strengthening before landfall.
RELATED: TS Laura expected to become hurricane, TS Marco to further weaken
Currently located just off the coast of Louisiana, Tropical Storm Marco is producing heavy rainfall across portions of Alabama and Florida. Tropical Storm Marco will move into southeastern Louisiana today.
After landfall, Marco will quickly weaken to a tropical depression, then a remnant low by Tuesday.
Farther east, Tropical Storm Laura continues to produce heavy rainfall and gusty winds across Cuba and Jamaica.
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This storm will move across Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico tonight. Warm gulf water and a favorable upper-level set-up will likely allow Tropical Storm Laura to strengthen into a hurricane by Tuesday evening.
Currently, the National Hurricane Center’s forecast track has Laura making landfall near the Texas-Louisiana state line as a strong Category 2 hurricane Wednesday night.
RELATED: Gov. Abbott issues state disaster declaration as two tropical systems approach the Texas coast
This storm will likely produce 4 to 8 inches of rain near the Texas-Lousiana border and up into the lower Mississippi Valley, Wednesday through Friday.
Damaging winds, dangerous storm surge, and large swells are all likely along portions of the Gulf Coast as the storm makes landfall later this week. Isolated tornadoes will also be possible in some of the outer bands of the storm.
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There is still some uncertainty in the track of this system with forecasts becoming better refined over the next few days. Closer to home, impacts from Tropical Storm Marco will be minimal as the storm rapidly dissipates Tuesday.
Beyond that, a few showers and storms will be possible in Central Texas from the outer bands of what is currently Tropical Storm Laura. Passing showers and some additional cloud cover may cool daytime highs a few degrees as well.
If the storm track wobbles west a bit as it nears land, Central Texas would be in a slightly more-favorable position for rain.
FOX 7 Austin Meteorologists will continue to monitor changing forecasts closely and provide updates on-air, online, and on social media.
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