Laura is the first hurricane to hit Louisiana as a Category 4 storm since 1965. According to the National Hurricane Center, Laura is moving northward over southwestern Louisiana at 15 mph with a 60-mile reach from the center of the storm. It is expected to maintain that speed throughout Thursday and into Friday.
As Laura progresses inland, some watches and warnings have been discontinued, but the hurricane warning for High Island, Texas, to Intracoastal City, La., and the tropical storm warning for east of Intracoastal City, La., to the mouth of the Mississippi River remain in effect.
“Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area through the morning, with catastrophic wind damage expected near Laura’s eyewall,” the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is forecast to move across Louisiana on Thursday morning and move northeast through Arkansas, the mid-Mississippi Valley and mid-Atlantic states by Saturday.
Bloomberg reported early Thursday that Laura could inflict more than $15 billion in insured losses.
Texas dealers also were bracing for the storm this week.
Dealer Bryan Case told Automotive News on Thursday morning that his Beaumont store has minimal damage from the hurricane.
“The storm made landfall a little bit more to the east from us than what it was initially projected to and consequently we were spared.”
On Wednesday, Houston-based Group 1 Automotive Inc. said it closed its six stores in the Beaumont, Texas, area and “evacuated as instructed” ahead of Hurricane Laura’s expected landfall on the Gulf Coast.
CarMax said in an email it is closing its locations in Lafayette and Shreveport, La., so it has “time to take necessary precautions.” The used-vehicle retailer said it also plans to close some of its Texas locations early Wednesday evening in response to local guidance. The company will reassess the status of the Texas stores Thursday morning.
