By John Bacon & Nate Chute for USA Today
LAFAYETTE, Louisiana – Two powerful storms marching toward the Gulf Coast on Sunday threatened a historic double-whammy of hurricane landfalls within miles of each other next week.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards requested a Federal Emergency Declaration from the White House.
“This is unlike anything we have seen, with two hurricanes expected to impact our state nearly back to back,” Edwards said. “This may mean that people will have to shelter in place for more than 72 hours and that there may not be time to do things like restore lost power between the two storms.”
Accuweather reports that two tropical storms have roared across the Gulf of Mexico at the same time only twice before – in September of 1933 and most recently in June of 1959.
Tropical Storm Marco was nearing hurricane strength Sunday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, moving to the north-northwest at 13 mph. Marco was forecast to reach hurricane status later Sunday, continuing on a track for landfall in Louisiana on Monday, blasting parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama with storm surge, heavy rainfall and strong winds.
“Wind shear that has prevented Marco from intensifying… will weaken Sunday, allowing for more steady intensification,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
The National Hurricane Center said the storm was then expected to hook westward and possibly reach Texas as a tropical depression on Tuesday.
Tropical Storm Laura was battering the northern Caribbean on Sunday. Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez had declared a state of emergency, and FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor said his teams were “on the ground and ready to support.” Downpours and gusty winds drenched the island, and nearly 6 inches of rain fell in some areas, prompting flood warnings. Read more from USA Today.
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