Laura

More than half a million people were ordered to flee Texas and Louisiana in the largest evacuation since the coronavirus pandemic began.

However, forecasters are keeping an eye on a cluster of thunderstorms over Africa that could begin intensifying near the Cabo Verde Islands next week.

Hurricane Laura is now a dangerous Category 4 hurricane and is expected to continue strengthening before impacting the Texas and Louisiana coastlines late tonight and into Thursday morning.

A reconnaissance plane investigating Laura found that it became a hurricane shortly after 8 AM ET / 7 AM CT. As of that time, top sustained winds were near 75 mph.

Florida drivers are paying 2.75 a gallon for gas on average with some folks filling up at the pump as low as 2 dollars a gallon.

Tropical Storm Marco is moving northwest through the central Gulf of Mexico toward the Louisiana coast, but it's spreading heavy rain through the western Florida Panhandle.

The Florida Keys ended its partial evacuation after Tropical Storm Laura's projected path moved away from the islands.

However the system is dumping inches of rain on Puerto Rico and creating a threat of mudslides and flooding. Laura is expected to track over Hispaniola and Cuba Sunday and Monday, where mountainous terrain will likely weaken the system.

The tropical depression east of the Leeward Islands intensified into Tropical Storm Laura Friday morning.