2 tropical storms a potential double threat to US Gulf Coast

Two newly formed tropical storms could become almost simultaneous threats to U.S. Gulf Coast early next week. y could even get sucked into an odd dance around each or. Or y could fall apart as y soak Caribbean and Mexico this weekend. Tropical storms Laura and Marco have such b and good environments ahe of m that ir futures were t clear late Friday. Computer forecast models varied so much that some saw Laura becoming a major hurricane nearing U.S., while ors saw it dissipating.

If both storms survive weekend, National Hurricane Center forecast that Laura would as he a hurricane toward central Gulf Coast around Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida Panhandle, while Marco aimed at Texas, though most likely remaining a tropical storm.

“A lot of people are going to be impacted by rainfall and storm surge in Gulf of Mexico,” said Joel Cline, tropical program coordinator for National Wear Service.

“Since you simply don’t kw you really need to make precautions.”

Two hurricanes have never appeared in Gulf of Mexico at same time, according to records going back to at least 1900, said Coloro State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. last time two tropical storms were in Gulf toger was in 1959, he said.

Because hurricane center slowed Laura's entrance into Gulf and moved its track westward, two storms are w forecast to be toger in Gulf on Tuesday, just before weaker western storm smacks Texas with Laura making landfall a bit less than a day later.

hurricane center on Friday issued tropical storm warnings for rrn Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico. Laura was forecast to hit Puerto Rico on Saturday morning, go over or near Dominican Republic and Haiti late Saturday and Cuba on Sunday.

Laura, which set a record for earliest 12th named storm of a season when it formed Friday morning, was moving through rrn Leeward Islands late Friday, about 195 miles (315 kilometers) souast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It h maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was heing west at 18 mph (30 kph).

hurricane center also issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for part of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula for Marco, which grew into a tropical storm Friday night. Late Friday, it was centered about 210 miles (340 kilometers) souast of Cozumel, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). It was heed rthwest at 13 mph (20 kph).

If two storms make it, y could be crowded in Gulf of Mexico at same time Tuesday about 550 miles apart. That would leave open some weird possibilities, including storms rotating around each or in a tropical two-step, pulling in closer to each or, nudging each or, weakening each or or far less likely merging. last time two storms me landfall in United States within 24 hours of each or was in 1933, Klotzbach said. It seems fitting for 2020 to have this of twin threats, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian Mcldy.

“Of course, we have to have two simultaneously land-falling hurricanes,” Mcldy said.

“It’s best t to ask what’s next.”

On Friday morning, a hurricane-hunting airplane found Laura's center to be dozens of miles farr south and better formed than satellite ims showed. That triggered a shift in forecast track, putting Caribbean islands more at risk and an upgre to tropical storm status.

If Laura goes over land, Puerto Rico and mountains of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba could tear it apart and t make it much of a threat to mainland United States, meteorologists said. But if it misses or skirts land, it could he into warm waters conducive to strengning as it approaches Florida, meteorologists said. With competing scenarios, hurricane center is forecasting a middle range for Laura of a weak hurricane heing into eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Officials in Florida Keys, which Laura might pass over on its route into Gulf, declared a local state of emergency Friday and issued a mandatory evacuation order for anyone living on boats, in mobile homes and in campers. Tourists staying in hotels should be aware of hazardous wear conditions and consider altering ir plans starting on Sunday, Monroe County officials said in a news release.

Citing both storm systems, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Friday night. “It is too soon to kw exactly where, when or how se dual storms will affect Louisiana, but w is time for our people to prepare for se storms,” Edwards said in a statement.

Meteorologists said Tropical Depression 14 has a better chance of surviving its early land encounter, n strengning to a minimal hurricane over warm water, but hurricane center was forecasting it to weaken before it reaches U.S. Gulf Coast because of decapitating high winds.