13 Strengthens Into Tropical Storm Laura

 Tropical Depression 13, just minutes after our earlier article, strengthened into Tropical Storm Laura, now located 175 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands with winds of 45 mph.

Laura continues to move quickly to the west at 18 mph. It should continue at a faster speed while moving west-northwest over the next few days.

Laura will move over or just north of the Northern Leeward Islands today, near or just north of Puerto Rico tomorrow, and then near or over Hispaniola Motzei Shabbos. The system will then continue near or over northern Cuba and the southeastern Bahamas Sunday, before moving into the Gulf of Mexico Monday. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Laura should be near or at hurricane strength when moving through the northeastern Gulf.

Simultaneously, Tropical Depression 14 will be moving through the Gulf, which, assuming both are tropical storms, would be the third time this has happened in recorded history. If both are hurricanes, which is a possibility, that would be the first time that has happened ever.

Updates will continue on this system Motzei Shabbos or Sunday.